


Etch

by Faded_BlueEyes



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Blood, Bonding, Cuddling & Snuggling, Death, Denial of Feelings, Eventual Smut, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality, M/M, Mates, Minor Character Death, Slow Build, Smut, Soulmates, Vampires, Violence, Weapons, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-22
Updated: 2015-02-13
Packaged: 2018-02-05 19:02:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 136,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1828870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faded_BlueEyes/pseuds/Faded_BlueEyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since he was a kid, the same sentence had been drilled into his head over and over again, like a broken record: <i>one day, you will find your mate and you will be willing to sacrifice your own life for theirs. </i> And ever since he was a kid, he completely ignored the laughable advice and instead focused on his studies and training.</p><p>To Levi, it was all complete bullshit. He never found a mate. </p><p>That is, right up to the point when the dreaded moment came and he found himself soulmates not only with a seventeen-year-old kid but also a Lycan, the exact opposite of what was supposed to happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> **Etch**  
>  _verb_  
>  to imprint vividly:  
>  _His face is etched in my memory._
> 
> I have not tagged the story as underage since the ages are considered differently but in some way, it kind of is, I guess.

Ever since he was a kid, the same sentence had been drilled into his head over and over again, like a broken record: _one day, you will find your mate and you will be willing to sacrifice your own life for theirs._

And ever since he was a kid, he completely ignored the laughable advice and instead focused on his studies and training.

Therefore, it came as a slight surprise when by the age of twenty-one, the people around him found love and rushed off to marry or at least spend time with their loved ones instead of focusing on the task at hand. It infuriated him; how could one person dictate your whole life that way?

However, it made sense. By the age of twenty-one, they were thought to be mature adults; they were capable of making their own decisions, coming up with their own strategies, taking part in elections and discussions and of course, they were allowed to marry. Marriage was the one thing in this godforsaken world which produced hope; further generations meant more soldiers, and at some point, a certain victory over the dangers crawling outside the safety of the walls.

On a different note, by the age of twenty-one, they stopped aging.

Throughout his years, people have given him all sorts of ridiculous advice. Many said that immortality was a gift meant to be spent doing their duty: keeping others safe. Other people said immortality is worthless if you have nobody to spend it with. But, to Levi, it was all complete bullshit.

With the dashing looks of a twenty-one year-old, aged only by the constant pressure he was under, he enjoyed his free will and his immortality. This way, he could dedicate his life to protecting humanity and getting rid of those vile creatures outside the walls without the worry of a mate being used against him. He stopped aging almost thirteen years ago, which put him at an actual age of 34 but with looks not a day over twenty-one. It was a wonder, to some extent.

He never found a mate.

The Etch was something powerful. Nobody could explain it, although Levi personally knew many who have tried. It was a chemical reaction within a person's whole being which gave you the impression you were in love; however, there was only one other person in the world who you were compatible with and an Etch could only be awoken from its slumber by the presence of your soul mate. You could Etch on somebody at any age, although by the age of twenty-one most people always managed to find their mate, therefore, it was rare to find an adult without their lover. The Etch didn't take into consideration your preferences in the sex of your mate or their looks; when they were the one, you would know it. It worked both ways, therefore, it wasn't hard to woo your mate once you found them.

But, Levi was glad, nonetheless.

A mate was an outstanding being, sure. He heard from some people that even the lightest of their touches relaxed your body and from others, he heard that even their presence brought you peace; they were supposed to be the person you cherished, loved and relied upon. They were your whole life.

But having a mate also had its disadvantages. For one, a mate was a valuable blackmail source. Once the final stage of the Etch was complete (blood-bonding), your bodies became one; this meant that if one got hurt, so did the other. Secondly, love hazed your mind and your decisions became irrelevant to the bigger plan; Levi had seen this happen multiple times. Lastly, your mate's death could, ultimately, result in your own. In most cases, people are so despaired by the loss, they commit suicide. It is said that the last thing you hear before they die, is their dying scream inside your head and that is enough to drive anybody insane. Either way, it never ends well and Levi was glad he could avoid the possible threats.

He had heard of a few extreme, and frankly awful, situations. Sometimes, depending on the type of a person, an Etch doesn't fully work both ways. There are many people who would rather spend their lives alone with nobody to depend on which drives them to horrendous actions. Killing your mate to free yourself from the burden of love seems like an awful action, but it was no unheard of and, due to the influence of the Etch, was not seen as murder. It was, almost, acceptable. Levi knew a person who did that, he knew the man very personally and although he did not agree with the method it was done, the action had not made Erwin Smith a bad person.

Erwin Smith dedicated his life to the Survey Corps. There was simply nothing that could distract him from constantly thinking up new strategies and trying to avoid unnecessary casualties. As a member of the Survey Corps, Levi trusted the man with his life.

The world was not a peaceful place anymore. What was left of humanity was hiding behind giant walls; behind the walls, lurked creatures known as 'Rogues.' The Survey Corps were the ones who traveled outside the walls and fought the creatures, in hopes to bring down their numbers so that one day, humanity might be free.

You see, The Survey Corps were not exactly human, which made them perfect for the job. They were supposed creatures of the night, quick and flexible with their thin weapons. They fed on the blood donated from the humans they protected; the entire regiment was made of vampires, not a human was ever allowed to join. The rules were strict. With only the oldest members (who were not dead yet) being able to walk in sunlight, they slept most days in the comfort of their quarters. Sunlight was not a direct enemy, but prolonged exposure to the sun rays was deadly and they were taught that ever since they were kids.

The Rogues were the creatures which desired to break into the walls, so that they could easily feast on the remaining humans. Humans, after all, were their prime source of food, although they would not be picky when it came to killing a Vampire or a Lycan.

Yes, Lycans.

As the vampires slept, humanity would be vulnerable. Therefore, another regimen was created to protect them. The Lycans were shifters, able to take on the forms of wolves and forced to do so during a full moon. They could shift at will and attacked the Rogues with their sharp claws and deadly canines. However, during a full moon, they were forced to shift and would then lose control of themselves. It was then, as decided, that they were pushed out to roam the full moon outside the walls; this was, perhaps, how Rogues were made.

Rogues were creatures who lost control of their mind. They were vampires or Lycans, whose transformation went wrong. Most of the Survey Corps or The Garrison (as the Lycans called their branch) were pure-blood, which meant they were born what they were. Humans could undertake to try and transform into either of the creatures through a process of blood-letting, but most tries were unsuccessful and blood-letting was now banned. The unsuccessful tries became insane and started to kill whatever was in sight, so it was decided they would be kept outside the walls. It was them who constantly tried to come in, both unsuccessful vampires and Lycans alike, and whom the both regiments tried to protect people from.

They were dangerous not because they possessed the exact same weapons and abilities which made the regiments dangerous; they were dangerous because if you didn't die, and through an accident, somehow exchanged blood with a Rogue, you were bound to go insane yourself. Therefore, with each expedition outside the walls to kill the Rogues, the Survey Corps lost members whom themselves had turned into Rogues.

However complicated it all seemed, it really was not.

Lycans were also bound to the laws of the Etch. It seemed all creatures were, with the exclusion of humans. However, it was rather unheard of for a vampire and a Lycan to be connected by an Etch. It happened in the past, but never ended well. The feud between two races was too strong, and most of the time one ended up killing the other.

Levi never understood the hate. He suspected jealousy was all a part of it, somehow, but he never paid much attention to him. Sure, he found the hygiene of Lycans utterly horrifying, but that was not enough to make him hate the creatures which did the exact same job the vampires did themselves. It was a fact that, if it weren't for the Lycans, protecting the walls would be a much harder job; Levi found that obvious.

Nevertheless, it didn't make the smell of Lycans any more pleasing than usual and he scrunched his nose as he walked down the hallway, two other vampires following right behind.

Each year, once a vampire or a Lycan reached the age of twelves, they were forced to enlist into training. Training lasted five years in total and by the age of seventeen, they were trained soldiers and had three choices: either join their designated regiment, become useless civilians or leave the walls. 

Clearly, the departure option was not very popular.

To get to the vampire barracks, Levi had to first pass through the Lycan part of the building. The smell from the showers, that of a wet dog, made him frown as his eyes scanned the hallway with precision, picking up on any dirt lying around. Clearly, vampires received further training in cleaning than the Lycans.

An odd Lycan stopped by a doorway and stared at the vampires, their eyes wide as they saw the authority with which Levi held himself. Behind him, walked a rather short woman (just two centimeters shorter than Levi himself) with ginger hair and kind amber eyes; although a warm aura came from her, it was obvious she would not be with Corporal Levi unless she was of a high status in the Survey Corps. On the other side of Levi walked a taller woman, her brown hair tied into a ponytail with glasses framing her face. There was a grin on her face, such a large grin, as she stared at each Lycan and scanned them clearly, her grin enlarging and bordering on manic. She was rather known: she was a researcher for the Survey Corps and responsible for finding out the biology of both vampires and Lycans.

Levi rolled his eyes as a particularly brave, young Lycan growled lightly, the animalistic growl low in his throat as he stared down them. Levi shot him a sharp glance, forcing his own usually icy grey gaze to turn red, as his hand reached for his belt where a silver blade was stashed; it was a clear warning, and the Lycan received it with a whimper before backing away.

Finally reaching the vampire barracks, Levi stopped and watched as the ginger-haired woman- Petra- began speaking with one of the instructors. Levi himself was not the formal type of person, so he left the talking to somebody who would do a good job, having full faith in Petra.

Busy with the newest formation plans, Erwin Smith- the Commander of the Survey Corps- had sent Levi to give a speech to the newest recruits graduating today. The speech was meant to persuade them into joining the Survey Corps. If anybody knew Levi, it was a terrible idea to have him give an inspirational speech, but with Levi being one of the highest ranking in the regimen, Erwin was desperate to have him do it. After all, Levi didn't receive the title of 'Humanity's Strongest' for nothing.

Petra smiled once again to the instructor and turned to Levi, beginning to explain the schedule of the evening. Levi crossed his arms over his chest and listened patiently, instead choosing to look at the sun setting outside. He gave her a nod once she was done, which gave Hanji the freedom to return to her rant about Lycans and their amazing healing.

He observed the newest recruits as they walked to their designated place. Levi frowned; by the amount of noise coming from them, he couldn't help but point out how obnoxiously loud they were being. Perhaps they were being taught fewer and fewer manners these days.

They had an hour to go before the graduation took place and they seated themselves comfortably in a room with coffee being served by some younger trainees. Of course, those found higher ranking soldiers inspiring and two of them asked Levi for an autograph, which he quickly denied. Hanji, however, was more than happy to sign anything for them while Petra started a comfortable conversation.

“You need to relax a bit, Levi.” Hanji laughed as the trainees left not long after, leaning forward to grab her cup of coffee before bringing it to her lips. They didn't need food to survive, but it was one of the great pleasure which they threw themselves into.

“How the hell am I supposed to do that? I have to find a way to persuade some damn kids to march to their death outside the walls.” He snapped back, crossing his leg over the other and shooting a disinterested look outside the window.

“To be honest, sir, most of them will join anyway.” Petra spoke up, her voice soft as always and he sighed as his body reacted to its soothing tone; her personality was one of the many reasons he chose Petra to be in his Special Operations Squad. “It's either The Survey Corps, or nothing.” And she was right; being a supernatural creature and trying to fit in with the humans was looked at as a disgrace.

“On a more important note,” Hanji spoke up, sitting up again and clapping her hands excitedly. “Did you see all those Lycans along the way? Oh, Levi! They're amazing! I wonder when we can go outside the walls again.” Hanji paused, a dreaming look crossing her face. “We need more of them for experimentation. The last one didn't end well.” He knew that; he could still remember the amount of blood spilled onto his perfectly clean floors.

“I don't see how they are amazing.” He commented with a shrug. “They hardly require training. Their weapon is their own body. They just have to recklessly swing those stupid claws and they're good to go. It's not an actual skill.” He scoffed, eying his own weapons stashed at his belt.

“But there is so much to learn about them!” Hanji exclaimed, her tone almost offended. “Like, why do they lose control? What triggers it?”

“Who gives a fuck?” Levi shot back, eyeing the door opening and an instructor motioning for them to follow. Levi stood up and wiped imaginary dust off his jacket, “The important thing is that they lose control and are capable of killing. I don't see why anything else would matter.”

They followed the instructor and Levi was sure he would dread every second of the rest of this day.

~~*~~*~~  
“That was completely depressing.” Hanji commented the second he got off the stage, having just given his speech to the graduating recruits. “You scared the hell out of them! Did you have to be so graphic?” She lectured him.

“They should know how the real world works.” He commented with ease, a small smirk stretching as his lips at having even shocked Hanji. “Be happy I didn't prepare a picture-based presentation.” Hanji's eyes widened at the comment and she turned away from him with an exaggerated eye roll.

“I don't think it was so bad.” Petra supplied quietly, to which she received weird glares from the other two. “Perhaps, there was a bit too much swearing, but everybody knows Corporal Levi to be-” She immediately paused as she saw the questioning look Levi gave her.

“Short.” Hanji finished for her, a teasing grin lighting up on her face as Levi turned to her with a glare before firmly smacking the back of her head.

He crossed his arms over his chest,”Say it again and I'll shave off all your hair. With my blade.” He threatened with an eye roll. “I dare you.”

She gave him a grin, but said nothing more. Instead, Petra decided to speak up. “It worked, either way. We got quite a few recruits.” She pointed out with a smile.

A thought occurred to Levi as they walked through the hallways of the barracks, back to the entrance they came in through and to the horses which brought them here. “What about The Garrison?” He asked suddenly. “Did they get many?” The Garrison was none of his business; to speak to them today, he saw Rico Brzenska arrive, a member of the elite squad.

Petra nodded in reply. “Yes. I heard they're very talented recruits, too.” She commented with a smile; Petra was always very accepting of the Lycans.

“So they say.” Levi commented quietly with a scoff, but he still held onto his point that Lycans didn't require much training to look like they were skilled; in a one to one combat, a Lycan was nothing to him.

As they walked through the Lycan barracks and then out of the building, Levi heard yelling and cheering. Supposedly the Lycans. It was only fair they celebrated now; surviving the years of training is brutal. Nature wise, Lycans always seemed much more energetic and fun-loving than vampires. Levi smirked at the though, it seems he ended up in the right place.

Seeing a member of Survey Corps in a green cloak deliver a message, he looked up at Hanji. “Erwin wants to know how it went.” Hanji had a habit of calling everybody by their first name, no matter their rank or authority; then again, with her own high authority there weren't many people that outranked her. She frowned slightly,”And Commander Pixis wants to speak with me.” She turned back to them. “I'll meet you back at the quarters.” With a nod and a wave, she headed a different direction together with the other recruit.

Petra turned to Levi with a smile before they continued walking, seeing their horses by the stables. Once they entered the stables, Levi cringed at the smell of dogs and rolled his eyes as he prepared his horse for departure.

“I don't see what your problem is. We've gotten perfectly good places.” A girl's voice rang, a firm, emotionless tone which reminded Levi that of a mother lecturing a child.

“That's not the point, Mikasa!” Another voice exclaimed in an argument, a passionate tone to his answer. Levi paused, frowning slightly as a warm wave struck his body.

Seeing him freeze, Petra frowned. “Sir?”

“I'm fine.” He murmured low, hoping the Lycans in the stables wouldn't hear them.

“Then what is it, Eren?” Another voice joined in, a male, but with a higher voice than it was expected.  
“We've trained hard all these years just to sit around here or stand on those damn walls and do nothing! We could be going outside!” The passionate voice of the male- Eren, Levi presumed, and wondered why the name sounded so warm and familiar- replied.

“Outside the walls?” The squeakier male whispered, but Levi heard it perfectly.

“That's enough, Eren.” The girl, Mikasa, spoke up again. “You know The Garrison protects people inside. Leave the bloodsuckers to die outside.” Levi clenched his fist, a sudden urge to round the corner and make his presence known by appearing. Petra gave him a frown as she overheard the conversation.

“Why is it that only they get to leave?” Eren whined again. “If I could, I would join them first chance I got!”

“Eren!” The girl hissed again. “Don't let anybody hear you say that!”

Levi smirked; the Lycan sure had the spirit and he was asking the age long question of why the two regimens didn't mix. The simple answer was, the two kinds didn't get along and the action always ended in some kind of argument.

Trying to get rid of the warm feeling inside his chest, Levi shook his head and mounted his horse. He didn't want to know what the warmth was, and he wasn't waiting to find out. Petra followed his lead and they slowly rode out of the stables.

He heard footsteps follow, which meant the Lycans were leaving as well and they met at the exit of the stables.

The first Lycan was a short male, with blonde hair, which almost reached his shoulders. He looked rather scrawny but nonetheless, Levi imagined his fur being the same blond as his hair, and it actually made the vampire chuckle.

The second was a girl, just like predicted, with black hair cut in the similar style as the blond boy. She had intimidating dark eyes and once she spotted him, a growl snuck past her lips in the presence of a vampire. Recognizing Levi with wide eyes, the blond boy elbowed her slightly as a sign for her to stop.  
The third figure made Levi freeze.

He was only a kid, Levi reminded himself as he stared at the seventeen year-old boy walking behind the other two, hands in his pockets and his feet shuffling on the floor unhappily. His hair was dark brown, with his bangs falling over his forehead naturally. He was of average height and build (which still put him as taller than Levi) but the second he looked up and their eyes met, Levi's breath hitched and stopped altogether. The boy had the most expressive, absolutely stunning, teal-green eyes Levi had ever seen.

No.

He felt like something had punched him in the chest, his lungs crushing together tightly as breathing came hard. A certain warm presence fell over his whole body and his shoulders instantly relaxed, his eyes not leaving the brunet's. In a short second, instead of feeling like he was falling from a large height, he now felt like he was floating- magnificent and free.

The Lycan seemed to have the exact same reaction. He froze in his steps, staring at Levi, even though he continued to be beckoned to follow by his friends. Petra had taken to observing both closely, and her eyes widened as she found the situation familiar to what happened to her a few months back.

This wasn't some simple, stupid attraction. This was the Etch.

Levi finally found his soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yet another story which got stuck in my head and I couldn't get rid of. I swear to God, I will be the person here who writes the most vampire stories.  
> I might continue this, once again, depending on the response I get. I wouldn't mind writing this, actually. Kind of, forbidden lovers, thing.  
> I hope you like it and everything was clear enough. If there is something you don't understand, feel free to ask!  
> Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“His life is ruined because he's fucking tied to me. Congratu-fucking-lations to him.”_

“Levi!” He knew it was bad once Petra called him by his actual name instead of 'sir.' She respected his authority more than anybody else and dedicated her whole life to fighting under his command, therefore, acts of friendliness were more often than not replaced with authoritative respect. 

He jumped off the horse in a rush, his heart pounding in his chest as his knees buckled under him, making his ankle twist in an unnatural way. He hissed at the fresh wave of pain, this time coming from his ankle, but his whole body ached; his whole body ached for something, or more accurately, for someone. 

He stumbled down the hallways, ignoring Petra's worried yells behind him. His breathing came in harsh pants and he inhaled again, taking in a much needed breath but it didn't help to calm him down at all. With a hand bared against the wall for support, he continued down the hallway, ignoring the looks he received. 

He hoped he opened the right door as he burst in without knocking. He looked around quickly, his chest constricting again and he hissed at the pain, his legs once again wobbling. Petra's worried yells were echoing the halls and it wouldn't be long before she managed to get him some help. He didn't need help; he wanted to see a specific person. 

He found the room empty and growled in impatience. He paused for a second; a growl like that hasn't left his lips in years, and apparently now, it seemed almost familiar. He shook his head of the thoughts about his animalistic behavior and continued down the hall, his eyes scanning the halls thoroughly as his other hand gripped his shirt, right above his chest. 

His heart felt like it would break out of his chest with the speed it was beating. He hasn't felt his skin be this hot before in his life and the constant, numbing ache was making his movements slow and painful. In addition, his eyesight was malfunctioning and he could feel his canines piercing to snap down from his gums into full display. 

“Corporal?” Another member of his squad came into view. With his mind still foggy, it took him a full minute before he put a name to the face: Gunther. “Are you alright, sir? You're looking a little hot.” He commented with ease, the exact ease which he only obtained through hard work and dedication to the squad. 

Levi couldn't waste any more time. Both of his hands gripped the lapels of Gunther's jacket and pulled him forward so his face was inches from Levi's. “Hanji.” Levi snarled the name to him. “Where is she?” Gunther's eyes widened as Levi's canines finally slid out of his gums and into display in a threatening manner. A wave of nausea hit Levi and he immediately backed away, instead opting to lean his back against the wall and close his eyes. His legs finally gave out and he slid to the floor. 

“Levi?” The voice was familiar now and he almost smiled, recognizing it as the one he was looking for the entire time. “What's going on?” Petra's voice joined in and Levi managed to work out it must have been her who got Hanji to the location. He hoped to remember to thank the woman. 

He felt arms grabbing him; such grabby, thin fingers could only belong to Hanji. She huffed a laugh by his ear and he imagined the stupid, massive grin on her face. “Unbelievable.” 

~~*~~*~~

When his eyes opened, he blinked multiple times to adjust to the harsh lighting in the room. He looked around with furrowed eyebrows. He was currently lying on a bed but this was no medical ward; the beds there were always filthy and unmade, no matter how much he nagged for people to fix it. This bed's status was suitable at best, anyway, which led him to conclude he was in Hanji's room. 

Well, that, and the fact there were books, journals and all kinds of test tubes lying around. The massive, furry skin of a rogue Lycan pinned to the wall was also another giveaway; Hanji took pride in that one particular kill and wished for it to be pinned to her wall as a reminder of how amazing she was. Of course, the people present at the scene would disagree. 

He felt fine now but opted for running his tongue around his gums either way, feeling the skin there still raw from releasing the deadly canines. There was no pain in his body and he flexed his fingers as confirmation that he once again had control over all his muscles. His heart was beating at a normal pace, but there was still a certain dull emptiness in his chest which he couldn't explain. 

A door opened but he didn't bother to turn his head; he already knew who it was. When Hanji stopped by his bed, he looked up and connected gazes with her. He said nothing. 

“I gave you some suppressants.” She notified him to which he simply nodded, sighing and switching his gaze to his hands again. “But those aren't going to work forever, Levi. You're going to have to face it.” She told him with a gentle smile on her face as she pulled a chair closer and sat down on it. 

“Is that really how it feels?” He murmured instead, still keeping his gaze on his hands. “Because if that's it, then it fucking sucks.” 

She laughed lightly then, always fond of his crude language. “No.” She admitted. “Your body only reacted that way because you ran away from it, both physically and mentally.” She paused and looked like she was thinking. “It happens to many people who don't want a mate. You have to get your crap together, Levi.” She paused again and avoided looking at him. “Many of those cases end up in murder.” 

He looked up at her then, a snarl ready at his lips. For her to go and assume he would go as far as killing his own mate was completely idiotic and frankly, slightly offending. “Just because I don't want to be stuck to one person for the rest of my fucking life doesn't mean I would kill them!” He hissed in reply. 

She smiled lightly, “That's assuring.” She commented. “I think you could use a mate.” She then stopped and her eyes widened, her posture straightening as she brought up her hands and clasped them in excitement. “Tell me all about it!” 

Levi rolled his eyes in a reply, once again looking away from her. He still had to come to terms with it himself. “He's just a kid, Hanji.” He sighed, suddenly feeling weary. 

She rolled her eyes at his exaggerated statement. “According to Petra, he just graduated. That makes him seventeen! You stopped aging, sweetie, so you're still in your prime.” When he gave her an annoyed look, she winked at him. She clearly already knew everything. She giggled again,”Petra also told me he's completely adorable! He's taller than you, which is hilarious. He's athletic, placed in the top ten of his class, he's got those gorgeous eyes and-” 

“-and he's a Lycan.” Levi interrupted her abruptly to which she stopped and bit her lip before nodding once. 

“That doesn't change anything.” She commented. 

“Right.” A laugh escaped his lips: an emotionless, snide, short laugh. “I'm sure the fact he completely loses control once a month, doesn't matter. I'm sure it doesn't matter that he will be hated for even speaking to me. I'm sure it doesn't matter that we're supposed to hate each other. I'm sure it doesn't matter that this-” He sat up and fiercely pointed at the fur hanging on the wall,”- is probably what he's going to end up like!” 

“Levi...” Hanji sighed, frowning as she realized how seriously worried he actually was. 

“His life is ruined because he's fucking tied to me. Congratu-fucking-lations to him.” He snapped and then huffed out all the built up air in his chest. Crossing his arms, he leaned back on the bed with the scowl still on his face. 

Instead, Hanji opted for changing the subject. “You slept for four hours. It's completely dark out.” There was a moment of hesitation as she stood up. “You didn't even consider how he feels about all of this. You running away from there must have seemed like a rejection.” 

Levi felt himself pale as the thought occurred to him. Of course! In any case, the brat felt exactly what Levi had felt but since the Lycan didn't look like he hated the idea of a mate, he hopefully would have avoided the pain that followed. What did he look like? He was terrified; he rushed out of there without a second glance and the constant pain spreading throughout his body kept the thoughts of the brat's bright colored eyes away. 

“He joined The Garrison.” Hanji spoke up from across the room, which caught Levi's attention. “His name is Eren Yeager. He graduated in fifth place in his class.” Hanji laughed slightly, but Levi felt slightly better hearing all of this new information. “He's very hardheaded and impulsive. You heard of the phrase 'opposites attract', right?” She glanced his way with a teasing look in her eyes. 

“What else?” He found himself asking eagerly, knowing perfectly well that Hanji would have found all of this out while he was unconscious. If there was ever information that Hanji couldn't find, then it was impossible to get.

“His instructors told me he actually lacks actual talent, but makes up for it with determination.” Hanji laughed. “I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not, but take it either way. Apparently, he had the best scores for hand-to-hand combat in his class, so he's capable of handling an angry Levi.” She teased mercilessly and he rolled his eyes before sitting up and attempting to get off the bed. 

Once he sat up, she came over to the bed and put the back of her hand against his forehead, to which he cringed, “Did you wash your hands?” He murmured, pulling away. 

She rolled her eyes,”I'm a scientist!” 

He didn't move at the reply. “That wasn't a yes.” 

“Yes!” She huffed and he nodded in reply as she felt his forehead before bringing over a small box. “If you're still going with this idiotic idea of staying away, you're going to need these.” She handed him the box. “Suppressants. Take them three times a day.” She paused, frowning as she felt his forehead again before checking his pulse. “With the way you're heating up, you might need to change that to four.” 

“This isn't normal, is it?” He murmured with a scowl. 

She pursed her lips in reply. “No.” She admitted. “I can't put my finger on why it's so strong. There are a lot of possibilities, with you involved. It might be because he's a lycan. It might also be because you haven't found a mate until now. It might do with the kind, too.”

See, there were vampires and lycans. However, if children of those species only came from their vampire or lycan parents, there would not be as many as there were. It was possible for a child to be born vampire or lycan, even if both of his parents weren't of the kind. Therefore, a child of a human and a vampire could still be born a vampire. Neither vampires nor lycans took many humans as their partners since the Etch didn't really allow it, but sometimes it happened and other times, situations like one night stands went out of control and resulted in the same consequence. 

Therefore, the vampire or lycans born from both of the parents being the respective race, were called pure-bloods. Because their genes were so strong, there were a few perks to being one. For vampires, that included better protection against sunlight but the consequence was a higher need for blood. For lycans, although he was unsure, it was something to do with how they communicated with their mates. 

Although he never knew much of his father, with enough evidence it had become clear to Levi that he was, in fact, a pure-blood. Such a description always made him snort derogatively; if there was one thing he was not, it was pure. 

“If you do change your mind though...” Hanji trailed off for a second, biting on her lip as a teasing glint sparkled in her eyes. “I hear he's on the south wall tonight.” 

With a simple nod, he got off the bed, grabbed his jacket and headed out of the room without another word. Behind him, Hanji crossed her arms and sighed, a small, knowing smile creeping onto her face. 

Once he was out of the room, he bumped into two members of his squad to which they immediately saluted him. “We heard you weren't feeling well, Corporal.” Erd spoke up first, his gaze scanning over Levi with a furrow in his brows which reminded Levi of a worried expression. 

“We weren't sure if training was still on.” Auruo added with a grin spreading on his lips. Levi regarded him with a cool stare which made the grin slowly disappear. 

“Training is on.” He simply told them, putting on his jacket in the process. “Tell the others. Exactly at midnight.” Before walking away, he paused. “Don't let me catch you hitting on girls instead of showing up on time again, Auruo.” He remarked to which his squad members' cheeks lit up instantly. 

He then proceeded to walk away, thoughts swirling in his mind. 

Some squads in the regiment specialized in the use 3D maneuvering gear. When outside the walls, those squads drew away the Rogues into wooded areas where the gear worked perfectly. Levi's Special Operations Squad was one of them. 

Their training usually took place in locations heavy with woods and forests to practice maneuvering over all sorts of terrain. After all, their stronger muscles allowed them to jump higher and move quicker and with the addition of the 3D maneuvering gear, that became easier. It was always helpful to take the fight onto a tree where a wolf wouldn't be able to jump too easily. 

But, perhaps today Levi could switch up the locations a little bit.

Maybe it would do them good to visit the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was quite short. But there you go, that's Levi's reaction. I hope a few more things were explained and Eren will be back in the next chapter :)  
> I really wanted to update to say that yes, I WILL be continuing this story but after I finish 'Own Ending' which is yet another vampire story I'm currently writing. It's nearing the end now. Etch will become my main story afterwards.  
> So, thank you for the amazing response to this story! If it wasn't for all your lovely reactions, comments, kudos and messages, I'm not sure I would be writing! You seriously encourage me to write!  
> So, what did you think about Levi's reaction? How do you think he's going to approach the whole etch situation?  
> Thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That was what mostly drew him to Corporal Levi. The strength he gave out, the clear authority in the air whenever he passed, the supposed nonchalant look that Eren could see right through.

“How's it lookin', Eren?” He turned ever so slightly, a tall blond man coming into his view whom he quickly recognised as Thomas Wagner.

“Everything's clear so far.” He replied, his tone bored and drained. He's been standing on the wall for fourteen hours now, with two more to go. There have been no breaches the whole day and twilight was coming in fast now; they expected at least one breach attempt in their section. There was always one.

“Great! Keep it up!” He rolled his eyes at Thomas and turned back around, crossing his arms and sighing at the boring job. He looked out into the distance, frowning as he wondered what it would be like to leave the walls; if he joined the Survey Corps, he would experience that feeling. Too bad he wasn't a vampire.

That brought on an unexpected sneer to his lips. He wanted to join the Survey Corps bad, but he wasn't sure whether wishing to be a vampire wasn't taking it too far. He wasn't a big fan of vampires (he got along fine with a few back at the barracks, like Marco) but to be one,to be forced to feed on blood, to not be able to walk during the sunrise, to not heal as fast- he wasn't sure it was worth it at all.

At the thought of vampires, an ache returned in his chest and he scowled. He knew exactly what it was, even though it was his first time feeling like this.

“Forget it, Eren.” Mikasa had told him previously, a clear warning in her voice. If there was one person who was not a fan of vampires, it was Mikasa.

“He can't just forget it, Mikasa.” Armin spoke up, for once not agreeing with the girl and speaking up with his own intake on the situation. “Corporal Levi is his mate. They're bound by the Etch whether they want it or not.”

Did he want it? The answer wasn't simple.

When he imagined finding his mate, he imagined finding a nice lycan girl with extremely soft fur but with just the right amount of temper to challenge him, to be his companion and best friend, to always be by his side.

Sure, he thought his mate could be a male. He didn't care much though; he tried relationships with males before and even though Jean was a Grade A dick, Eren couldn't say the sex was bad. 

But he never thought his mate would be a vampire.

They didn't heal as fast, they had different sleeping patterns, they had different jobs, different opportunities, different responsibilities, different weapons and, of course, they didn't change into wolves. So much for soft fur. Although, as Armin pointed out, Corporal Levi's hair looked pretty soft. Perhaps that was a bonus.

Of course, there were some advantages. To have a mate of such a high position, of such a high authority with such an invincible reputation was a blessing. It opened doors for him either way; Levi was important. Hell, Eren grew up worshipping the guy! Even before he finished training, Levi was destined to be great and all instructors who ever had the chance to see him in action could easily confirm that. He came first in his class in everything and shortly after joining the Survey Corps, he set the highest rogue kill record. Yes they did, in fact, keep track- for the sport of it.

Levi deserved the title of 'Humanity's Strongest' and even though he was a vampire and had the opportunities to leave the walls, which Eren would never have under normal circumstances, he was someone Eren aspired to be: an inspiration to others.

That was what mostly drew him to Corporal Levi. The strength he gave out, the clear authority in the air whenever he passed, the supposed nonchalant look that Eren could see right through. When he saw the Corporal's dark grey, smouldering eyes that night, he didn't feel like he was put down by his higher status; he felt like he was pulled up, like he could be flying, however corny that sounded.

The problem was: he didn't know Corporal Levi, personally. He always thought this was a massive flaw in the Etch; you wound up with somebody whom you didn't know before, and only then did you have a chance to get to know them. Getting to know someone was the whole process, and also, the hardest part. What if they didn't suit? They'd be stuck together forever.

He sighed and sat down on the edge, his legs dangling off and his palms flat on the wall underneath him. He looked out into the distance, the sky darkening gradually as the time went on. He wondered what it felt like to be outside the walls; the freedom you could have; all the places you could go; how many different places were there even?

He wanted to be out there.

All the guys back at the barracks used to call him suicidal. He simply didn't consider all the dangers before diving head first into a battle; he was, perhaps, too passionate that way.

But now that he knew he would be forced to be out there, something heavy formed in the pit of his stomach. During the full moon, lycans over the age of seventeen were sent out of the walls for the safety of others. Whether they came back or not, was not the government's problem. Most usually came back with scratches and wounds from having fought with the rogues, some came back perfectly fine since they found a place to hide, clearly still possessing intelligence while in a frenzy (those were usually the older wolves) but some came back infected, the rogues' blood having been mixed in with theirs, and were executed instantly before all the symptoms could show.

Symptoms showed rather quickly. For lycans, they had a tough time changing back into their human forms (with the transformation being excruciating) and fur started to gradually fall off their wolf forms, leaving patches of skin on show. For vampires, they usually lost control of their fangs and those would extend or hide on their own free will. Their nails turned black and became sharp, unable to become dull again. A hunger for blood rose. Eyes turning red and staying that way was a symptom for both races. Insanity and loss of your mind followed, and by then it was definitely too late.

After coming back from a full moon, the lycans would be inspected in separate rooms. Vampires were sent in to determine whether they were fine, since it was the vampires who felt the change in their blood.

“We got a breach!” He got to his feet instantly, and looked both ways, narrowing his eyes at the red flags being waved to the right. With no more deep thoughts, he set off into a run towards the flags. His bones rearranged quickly and painlessly, fur grew, teeth and claws grew and before long, he was running towards the target on four paws.

~~*~~*~~

“Sir,” Erd spoke up hesitantly, “Where did the sudden need to visit the walls come from?” He asked, his horse moving forward slightly as to end up next to Levi.

Levi squinted at the sunset before turning to look at Erd, slowly. “Change is good.” He replied simply, not bothering with giving out the exact details. They were his squad, not his damn counsellors. They could clearly smell the difference on him; it was faint since he wasn't fully bonded with the lycan, but it was there. None of them dared to ask, though, except for Petra who already knew.

Noticing that Erd wasn't happy with the answer, Levi rolled his eyes. “I need to speak with Erwin. He's there today.” He replied, half-truthfully. Seeing Erwin was only a part of the reason, obviously. He wouldn't waste a day of training for something as petty as speaking with Erwin when he could do so when sunrise came.

Honestly, Levi wasn't sure how to go around approaching this. There was a high chance he would see Eren, although it wasn't guaranteed. Sunset just came around and he knew for sure that many lycans were replaced with vampires during the night. Although, for his first ever shift, Eren should be up there for sixteen hours.

He silently wondered what Eren looked like as a wolf. He wondered if he kept those mesmerizing orbs or if they changed.

Reaching the wall, they handed their horses over to the stables. He received a few looks from surrounding members, furrowed eyebrows probably wondering what the Special Operations Squad was doing there. Levi usually came to the wall by himself.

Sending a glare to mind their own business towards them, Levi began sorting out the straps on his 3D manoeuvring gear, making sure everything was alright. If they came here, they might as well do at least some training.

While still sorting out his own straps and making sure they were tight enough, he looked around at the other members standing at the ready. “First one to the top is off cleaning duty tomorrow.” He spoke clear and loud enough so that everybody heard.

Realising what he said, Gunther was the first one to shoot out his hooks, hooking them onto the wall and then propelling himself into the air immediately. He whooped while he did, Petra following close with Erd and behind with Auruo trying to keep up with them.

Levi watched them for a second, a fond smile almost creeping up onto his lips. But they still weren't too careful with their gear, and even though this wasn't the battlefield, they had to be more efficient. With a quiet 'tch', he shot out his own hooks and propelled into the air, up the wall.

Other people would have used the stairs to the side, but why bother?

In the end, his feet touched the top of the wall before the rest of his squad. He looked back at Erd landing behind him with a teasing glint in his eye as the rest came to a stop not long after. “Guess you're all cleaning tomorrow.” Levi shrugged slightly, putting away his blades.

Petra smiled at him as Levi started heading towards the office. Hopefully he would find Erwin there.

Something clawed at his stomach, urging him to go and look around for his mate but common sense won over. He had to speak with Erwin. But the feeling fought sharply, and it wasn't long before he felt a wave of heat go through his body, which immediately reminded him of the suppressants lying in his pocket.

He quickly took one and popped it into his mouth, without the rest of the squad seeing.

Once they reached the office, he approached the receptionist. He could see her lip twitch slightly, giving him a nice view of a sharp canine and just by the smell alone he concluded she was a wolf. He could never get used to her though; Rico was around as long as he was, but they never did get along.

“I need to see Erwin.” He spoke firmly.

She gave him a look over. “Commander Smith,” She started with a growl, “-is dealing with the new Survey Corps recruits. There's a shift change in thirty minutes.” She informed him and he almost hissed at her tone of voice. As a Lycan, it was clear she didn't like being around vampires, but she still held much respect for Erwin; as most did.

Realising he would have to go find Erwin, he turned on his heel and left without a word. “Meet me by block 32 in an hour.” He told his squad. “I need to find Erwin and speak with him alone.” He added quickly.

Petra nodded before stopping him with a quiet 'sir.' “Do you want us to get you a drink while we're walking past block twenty?” She asked him, her eyes trained on him and he could see the glint in her eyes which told him she knew he hasn't eaten properly yet.

“Sure.” He murmured, unable to stand the gaze anymore. “Thank you, Petra.” He added hesitantly before walking the opposite way to the squad.

He never liked visiting the wall after sunset. There were usually more breaches, since that was when vampires were at their strongest. Whereas during days, lycan rogues would be trying to breach the wall, vampire rogues joined them in the night. There was just too much activity, and he didn't like it. However, that didn't mean he didn't help them if a rogue got in his way.

He silently wondered how Eren had reacted to finding out Levi was his mate. In addition, he thought if Eren was feeling the side effects as bad as he was right now. There was a hollow feeling in his chest that he knew only one thing would fill.

“Breach! Block twelve! LR!” Levi paused for a second. He was currently in block seventeen, but in the distance he could see the flags being waved where the breach occurred. 'LR' simply meant 'lycan rogue' whereas 'VR' answered to 'vampire rogue.' Realising it was a lycan, Levi continued his slow walk along the wall. Lycans weren't hard to kill.

Torches were lit one by one as the night came, creating a darker atmosphere. His vision started working then, everything as clear as in daylight and he silently thanked the fact they saw in the night.

Soon enough, the flags were put down again. He hoped he would find Erwin around block five.

“Breach! Block ten! VR!” Levi immediately tensed. The flags weren't far from him and while focusing, he could see the rogue vampire slowly working through the soldiers positioned there. His hand grabbed his blade before he pondered any more on it.

He set off into a run and once he was within throwing distance, his other hand grabbed the knife hidden at his boot and he threw it at the vampire, hitting it in the leg and getting its attention. Red, blood-shot eyes turned to look at him in fury.

Shoving a vampire soldier out of the way, the rogue screeched and headed for Levi, who paused and grabbed his other blade.

Vampires were quicker than wolves, and it was evident when the vampire pounced on him, Levi dodging him before any contact was made. He twirled, his blade slashing at the vampire's stomach, a deafening screech leaving its rotten, blood-covered mouth.

The vampire scratched at him, but Levi dodged in time, making sure to not get to the edge of the wall before he struck. He spun again, a kick being dealt to the rogue's chest which made it stumble back before Levi struck forward, his blade piercing through skin, muscle and painfully stumbling through bones before it reached its target: the heart.

The vampire screeched again, clawing at the silver blade helplessly before Levi shoved his foot into the rogue's stomach and pulled his blade out, kicking the vampire back as he did. The rogue stumbled back, lost and whimpering before it lost its balance and tumbled over the edge of the wall.

“Corporal!” Levi brought out a piece of cloth and started wiping at his bloody blade with distaste. “Are you alright, sir?” He shot a short glance at the vampire asking him before answering with a simple 'yes.'

“It's a good thing you were here, sir.” Another vampire chimed in, her voice awestruck. Her brown hair was tied into a ponytail and there was something about her face which told Levi she smiled a lot. She was a fresh graduate, he could bet. A lycan agreed silently behind them.

“Breach! Block eight! VR!” He almost huffed in annoyance as he turned, watching the flags being waved as a rogue vampire just managed to climb over the wall and was met face to face with a Survey Corps soldier.

The soldier facing the rogue looked young, and Levi almost instantly felt sorry. All of them had to go through their first night on the wall, the fear of the unknown right at your heels. But from this distance, Levi could see the trembling hand on the soldier, his black hair reflecting the moonlight and his eyes, which looked endearing in a way, were wide and petrified.

He started moving shortly after other recruits did, but he was faster and more lethal than all of them. The vampire which praised him before was just before him, her blade at hand while she continued yelling to the other soldier, warnings and encouragements and “Marco, watch out!” as the soldier tried to face off the vampire.

Levi saw the hit coming before they did. The vampire swung low, its claws hitting the solider in the leg as 'Marco' fell to the ground with a groan, the blade swinging out of his hand. The lycan which Levi previously saw was now mid-shift, paws hitting the ground as it growled right beside Levi.

But they were still a distance away and the rogue was standing over Marco with a deprived grin, the sharp fangs on clear display and a manic look in his bloodshot eyes.

It was then another wolf emerged from the other side and tackled the rogue. Levi stumbled, his chest constricting painfully as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The rogue pushed the wolf off with a screech and Levi watched as the wolf pushed up to his paws again, snarling at the vampire, it's teal-green eyes trained on the rogue.

Something inside Levi heated up. He only saw those eyes once, but they were unforgettable. Eren.

And his instinct kicked in, his steps faster and strides longer. No way in hell was he letting Eren get hurt.

Eren started at the rogue, his jaws snapping painfully close to the vampire before he had to pull back as claws retaliated mere centimetres from his muzzle. Eren growled, his massive teeth a threatening display. He was large for his age, Levi had to admit, and his fur was very dark, almost black but not actually black; a dark brown, Levi decided, just like his hair.

Eren circled the rogue, giving Marco time to get to his feet and away from the fight. Everything suddenly became almost too fast to see.

The rogue attacked, but Eren was faster, his own paw shoving at the vampire. The lycan's claws left marks on the rogue as he was shoved to the floor, with Eren not wasting time and pouncing right onto him, his claws digging deep into the chest of the rogue and then ripping at the flesh. It was harder for lycans to kill vampires. The only way to kill a vampire was either decapitation or the heart. Decapitation was too risky since they could swallow some of the rogue's blood.

But Eren was quick at the job. By the time Levi was close enough to do anything, Eren had clawed his way through the rogue's chest, ripping it apart in the process before he ripped the heart apart. Eren then took a step back and sat down, his ears drooping slightly as he stared at the rogue.

He then seemed to sense something and his large eyes moved away from the dead rogue, scanning the crowd watching before those teal-green, mesmerizing orbs paused on Levi. His head tilted slightly, his ear drooping further as his tongue stuck out and, now that Levi watched carefully, he even saw his tail wag slightly. God, he reminded Levi of a large house dog. 

The body was taken away as the people around them began moving again, but Levi remained still. He had no idea how to go about doing this. What was he even supposed to say? Because Eren was still staring at him, something familiar twinkling in his eyes and Levi really hoped he was wrong and it was not admiration, because Eren _wasn't_ supposed to admire _him._ Not after what Levi just witnessed.

Levi took in a large breath, which was a mistake in itself since he got a fair whiff of Eren's scent and Eren and his head suddenly spun because Eren was right there, right in front of him.

“Is he alright?” Levi murmured to the girl helping Marco out. To some extent, he was responsible for all the vampire recruits. She replied with a simple 'yes, sir' and he nodded once, his eyes not leaving Eren. 

Finally moving his eyes away, Eren stood up and walked over to Marco, nudging his nose at him lightly. Levi frowned at the display of friendship; Eren wasn't supposed to care how the vampire was doing. Marco grinned back at him, petting him lightly before admitting he was fine. 

This already told Levi that Eren wasn't one of the people completely against vampires being friends (or more) with lycans. It kind of helped the situation, really. Levi shook off his shoulders and stepped closer, now stopping by the other three, mere metres from Eren. 

“What's your name?” He murmured to the girl. 

“Sasha Blouse, sir.” She replied, straightening slightly and showing him the Survey Corps salute to which he frowned slightly, seeing as she didn't do it correctly. 

“Right.” He murmured, his eyes instead turning to look at Marco. “Blouse, take him to the emergency block.” He ordered and then cleared his throat. “If you see Commander Smith, tell him I need to speak with him urgently. And,” He paused, his eyes moving to look at Eren again. “If you see any of my squad members, tell them I'm going to be a while.” 

She instantly replied with a 'yes, sir!' before helping Marco up and moving away from them. Another soldier had approached Eren with a handful of clothes but Eren shook his head slightly before looking to Levi, something in his eyes beckoning Levi to follow him. 

Eren turned then and began walking away, supposedly back to his post. Levi didn't even hesitate to follow after him. But Eren refusing to change back meant one of two things; he either didn't want to speak with Levi, or this was Levi's chance to talk so that Eren could listen. 

Once back to his original spot, Eren sat down and looked out into the distance. 

Levi wasn't sure what to say when he stopped by Eren and swapped his gaze to follow Eren's, out into the distance beyond the walls. Once he realised what he wanted to start with, he cleared his throat. “I'm sorry you're stuck being my mate.” He murmured. 

Eren turned to look at him, his ears perking up and his head titling slightly. 

“I can't promise you anything.” Levi shook his head slightly, a bitter expression on his face. “I don't do relationships well.” He then sneered as the cruel thoughts came back. “Honestly, I feel slightly sorry for you. Getting stuck with me is a tragedy. I can't even imagine what your friends will say to know you got stuck with a vampire for a mate.” 

Eren bared his teeth slightly, a low growl echoing through his chest. Levi understood that Eren clearly disagreed. 

“Don't.” Levi replied to that. “We don't have to take this far. Besides, I have no idea how this is supposed to work.” Levi looked up at the darkening sky, his eyes narrowing at the moon. “It's a full moon in a few days. Who knows what the hell will happen to you?” He shrugged, slightly at a loss for words. He didn't like this. He wanted Eren to speak to him, to yell, to be angry- anything! 

Eren hadn't turned away from him, his eyes still focused on Levi. 

“Don't get me wrong.” Levi tried, feeling as if his last statement was too harsh. “I'd be lucky to have you as a mate. I've done my research.” He didn't attempt to look at Eren, because the last thing he needed to do was fucking blush. “I just don't see this working out.” With that statement, he spoke everything that ran through his mind. 

When Eren didn't react, Levi simply shrugged and turned around, walking away to find Erwin. 

There was a hollow emptiness in his chest again as he walked further away from Eren and his chest constricted with the pain, making him frown. He had begun to admire Eren, and seeing the bravery with which Eren jumped right into the fight, he couldn't help but feel slightly proud at the idea that this was his mate. 

He had almost made it to the right block when a voice behind him called him. “Corporal!” He remembered hearing that voice back at the stables and something instantly fluttered in his chest as he turned, finding Eren running towards, clothed and human and out of breath. 

“I,” Eren started, still trying to gain his breath from the long run. Levi couldn't help but feel his heart beat faster at something as simple as Eren standing right before him, all large bright eyed and messy haired. “I'm honoured to be your mate, whether you think so or not.” He disagreed to Levi's previous statement. 

“Eren, you don't know what you're saying.” He replied simply, and didn't miss how Eren's eyed widened slightly at the direct contact. 

“I do.” He disagreed. “And I'll try my best to make this work. But I can't do it alone, sir.” 

Levi let a small half-smile onto his face. “Drop the formalities.” He replied, his eyes giving Eren a quick look over. “You saved your friend's life today.” Levi commented. “It was rather brave, really.” He shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and shrugging slightly. 

“Thank you.” Eren smiled and Levi tensed immediately, seeing that bright, glorious smile in full effect right in front of him. Eren had a beautiful smile, he had to admit. 

Levi sighed, “Fine.” He murmured. “We'll see what can be done.” He added quickly and then, against his instinct turned around, ready to walk away. “I'm a very busy person, Eren.” He had began walking away with that statement. 

He heard Eren laugh lightly. “I'm sure you can make time for me, Levi.” Eren had spoken behind him, and Levi had heard him clear. 

And if his heart fluttered harder than it has ever done before, nobody had to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, long time no see. I hope somebody is still reading this...  
> It is still only a side story since I have like five other ongoing stories and I just keep starting more and more, and it's gotten to the point of slightly sad.  
> I quite enjoyed writing this chapter, but for those who read Own Ending, you'd know that I enjoy writing action and bloody fight scenes.  
> So, yeah, I thought Eren's view was needed here, although the story will be written mostly in Levi's POV.  
> Thanks for reading, if you still are! And thank you for all the amazing comments and kudos! This story already has some of the best feedback I ever received!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He felt himself tense, his eyes burning with the threat of tears but he wouldn't let himself cry. He swallowed, “I don't want a mate, Hanji.” He croaked, his voice breaking slightly.

He sighed at the same form appearing before him, his eyes skimming the name of the deceased before he moved his hand lower and signed the letter, putting it off to the pile of papers he was done with. A few of their recruits didn't make it through their first night at the wall, and if anything, the news were saddening. 

He really wanted to disagree with how the system ran, but honestly, he couldn't. Erwin had devised a system where everybody stood on the wall for six hours, with shift changes, food breaks and supplies at the ready. Hours were swapped around so that different people received different hours all the time. It was a clever system, and Levi couldn't even imagine how much work went into devising it.

There was still a certain heat under his skin, a reminder that his own body was craving his mate's presence, but Levi simply denied it. He wouldn't let something as idiotic as the Etch control him; he had a job to do, after all, and his own desires had to be second to his job. 

It didn't help that Eren's voice was a droning sound inside his head, the way Levi's name rolled off his lips hung like a curse over him, not letting him forget Eren's breathy voice. 

He signed yet another form and shoved it to the side before his frustration took over and he shoved away from the desk. It's been three days since his visit to the wall. 

He had remembered every word he exchanged with Erwin once he did find him and it haunted him. 

_“Levi.” Erwin's smooth voice sounded once Levi entered the room, closing the door behind him. “I didn't expect to see you here.” He spoke, looking up from his papers for just a second and looking over the other vampire once. “I hear you've been hunting for me for the past few hours. It must be important. I know how much you don't like coming here.”_

_And Erwin was right. He didn't like coming to the wall. Because of his position, he wasn't required to guard the wall and coming here, looking over all the vast land they haven't travelled over yet was just sickening and despairing._

_“Right.” He murmured, his fingers twitching slightly with how he was about to go and speak about this. “I got a mate.” He spoke quietly and Erwin paused in his writing, looking up at Levi._

_“So I've heard.” Erwin replied. “And how do you feel about this?” He crossed his arms over his desk and looked expectantly over at Levi._

_“I didn't think I would get one.” Levi admitted._

_“Everybody has a mate, Levi.” Erwin told him with a small frown. “Yours just took longer to show up.”_

_Levi laughed then, a cold, humourless laugh. “It took so long because he's just a fucking kid.” He almost growled._

_A knowing look sparked in Erwin's eyes and Levi narrowed his own, knowing that look. “You already know.” It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Of course Erwin would know. There was nothing that happened in the Survey Corps, or anywhere really, that Erwin Smith didn't know._

_“Yes.” Erwin admitted. “If I was you, I'd be more preoccupied with the fact he's a lycan.” Erwin pointed out. “He finished training, he's almost deemed an adult. But the fact that he shifts into a large wolf isn't going to change.”_

_“I don't want a mate.” Levi admitted, his eyes scanning over the room before he found what he wanted. He walked over to the table and grabbed a glass before grabbing the decanter with the red liquid inside and pouring himself a glass, the strong smell of blood making its way up his nose quickly._

_“You don't need to have a mate.” Erwin commented._

_Levi turned to look at him so fast, the glass almost slipped from his hand. “I could never kill Eren.” He growled, feeling his fangs extending slightly at the mere suggestion, at the threat to his mate's life._

_Erwin furrowed his eyebrows, looking almost offended. “Then I don't know what you want me to say, Levi.” He admitted. “You know my outlook on mates and all of that. It's not worth it.” He returned to signing the papers. “I don't care what the hell it is that you do with your mate, as long as it doesn't affect your job.”_

_“That's what I'm afraid about.” Levi told him, bringing the glass up to his lips and sighing as the cool liquid made its way down his throat._

_“What did Hanji say about this?” Erwin asked instead, not looking up at Levi any more._

_“She said it hit me harder than it should have.” Levi echoed Hanji's words. “And it did, Erwin. I,” He paused, a frustrated sigh leaving his lips. “I'm hot all over and there's a pull all the time, forcing me to think about him and to act-” He stopped, shaking his head with a frustrated sigh again._

_Erwin paused and looked up at him. “Have you tried ignoring it?”_

_“Of course I have.” Levi spat._

_“Have you tried other things? Like, making yourself busy so your thoughts stayed away from him? Or, perhaps, taking out all of this frustration on another person? It would take your mind off him.”_

_“You want me to go and hook up with someone?” Levi made sure he heard correctly._

_“Don't act all innocent on me now, Levi.” Erwin reminded. “It wouldn't be the first time you-”_

_“I get it.” Levi cut him off, finishing off the glass and putting it back on the table. He understood quickly that Erwin's opinion was biased and there was no way he would of help. “I'll deal with it.” He murmured._

_“Levi,” Erwin's voice stopped him from leaving. “Try to keep the whole Etch thing on the down low. A lot of people dislike the organization, and hurting you through your mate would hurt the organization.” Erwin told him, a caring undertone to his warning._

_Levi nodded before leaving._

He pulled on his hair in frustration, huffing as a piece of paper caught his eye. He had gotten Hanji to obtain Eren's schedule for the wall, and the times stared back at him like a haunting echo, beckoning Levi to pick it up and go see his mate. 

“Levi?” He looked up as the door opened and Hanji's head poked in. “I've been knocking for the past few minutes...” She pointed out as she walked into the room and closed the door behind her. “Is this a bad time?” 

“No.” He murmured, trying to shuffle all the papers on the desk into a neat pile. “What is it?” 

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Hanji admitted. “I haven't seen you in the lunch rooms for the past few days.” There was a hidden accusation in her voice and he rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair. 

“I'm fine.” He replied simply. 

Hanji nodded once before walking further into the room and sitting on the chair opposite of him. “Did you see Eren?” 

“Yes.” 

“And?” Hanji perked up immediately. 

“He killed a rogue on his first night.” Levi stated with a shrug. It still seemed slightly weird to him. There weren't many cases like that; the first night was always the hardest. “We hardly talked but he wants to give this thing a chance.” He looked away and rolled his eyes as Hanji muttered an 'aww' and clapped her hands lightly. 

“Well then what the hell are you doing here?” She asked him quickly. 

“Does nobody give a fuck if I want to give this whole thing a chance?” He growled at her, his hands clenching into fists to try and keep his temper down. 

Hanji looked taken aback. “Of course, Levi. It all depends on-” 

“Well it doesn't fucking seem like it!” He burst out, shoving away from the desk and standing up, pacing the room quickly while his fingers travelled over his head, twisting into his hair and pulling in frustration. “Erwin expects me work myself to death, Petra keeps giving me those fucking knowing smiles, Eren seems to not realise how fucked up this is and you,” He paused and pointed at Hanji. “You're not fucking helping either.” He finished and tried to catch his breath. 

Hanji frowned, getting up from her seat.”Levi,” She started, walking slowly towards him. “I'm sorry if it seemed like I wasn't here for you, but no matter what Erwin says, Eren is your mate and you have a duty towards him.” 

He watched her slow steps for a second before he shook his head, swallowing quickly and turned around, leaning his arm on the wall before leaning his forehead on his forearm. “Don't touch me.” He told her once he felt her coming close. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw her frown slightly before straightening her arms out by her sides. “Don't listen to Erwin.” She murmured. “He'd have you kill Eren if it helped the Survey Corps.” She almost growled, and he looked up slightly, watching her clench her fists. Killing your mate seemed impossible to Hanji, but that's only because she and Mike were completely in love. “And that's not you, Levi.” 

“How do you know?” He whispered. 

“I know you.” She replied. “You already adore Eren, it's obvious. You don't see it, but I do.” She smiled lightly. “You get a sparkle in your eyes whenever you speak about him.” 

He felt himself tense, his eyes burning with the threat of tears but he wouldn't let himself cry. He swallowed, “I don't want a mate, Hanji.” He croaked, his voice breaking slightly. 

Hanji ignored his previous warning and stepped closer, her arms wrapping around him tightly. Even though his body tensed at the direct contact, he tried to ignore it and wrapped his arms around her. He needed the comfort. 

“Give it a chance, Levi.” She whispered. “I promise you; the way Eren will make you feel will make all those doubts disappear.” 

He only hoped she was right. 

~~*~~*~~

So that's how he ended up standing on the wall in bright daylight, frowning at the sun hitting him directly. He only thanked the fact that his blood was pure and that fact that he had already lived for some time, which made walking in the sun easier. It was still a pain in the ass, but he could bear it for a while. 

The green Survey Corps cloak gave him additional protection from the sun, the hood pulled up over his head to shield his face from the sun. 

He ignored the continuous looks he got from a few lycans since it was their time to guard the wall. It was unheard of for a vampire to be on the wall at this time, but Eren was here right now, and Levi needed to see him. 

Spotting Eren in the distance, he realised the lycan wasn't alone. He was speaking with a girl, her black hair blowing in the wind as a bit of her fringe fell over her eyes. She was sitting right beside Eren, close enough for the contact to make Levi uncomfortable and the smiles she kept giving Eren seemed a bit too friendly.

Once Levi paused a few metres from them, Eren looked up first, clearly sensing his mate's presence. When his eyes fell on Levi, his expression didn't change and he simply turned back to the girl. But once the girl's eyes fell on Levi, she snarled something to Eren, her teeth gritting and her canines displaying as a warning. 

Levi rolled his eyes at the childish behaviour and still chose to approach Eren, to which the girl stood up first, her fists clenching. “If you don't want him here, I can get rid of him.” She murmured to Eren and Levi watched as her nails elongated slightly, ready to shift at any time. 

“Please.” Levi sneered. “Your little puppy claws don't scare me. Now let the adults speak.” He dismissed her, to which she growled, a dangerous spark in her eyes. 

“Just leave it, Mikasa.” Eren sighed, still sitting on the wall, his legs dangling over the edge. 

Mikasa turned to look at Eren for a second before nodding once and stepping back, her nails and teeth back to normal. 

“Just give us a moment.” Eren muttered again, not looking away from the horizon in front of him. 

Mikasa looked like she was ready to protest but then sighed and nodded once, giving Levi one more warning glare before she turned away and walked off. 

Levi sighed, watching as she walked away before he looked down at Eren, his heart constricting with pain at not seeing his mate for three days while his hands couldn't help but sweat nervously. There was a never-ending desire pushing at him to act: to touch Eren, to kiss Eren, to be with Eren.

He chose to sit down next to Eren, careful of how he placed with feet as to not slip. One wrong move and he would be falling down the wall. Of course, he had his 3DMG on, so falling would not be a problem. It actually would be quite a rush; using the gear always did give him a rush. 

Eren said nothing and Levi wasn't sure how to start. 

When he did know what he wanted to say, Eren got there before him. “You lied.” Eren muttered. “You said you would give this a chance.” He spoke blankly, his voice getting louder. “You're not the only person involved in this, Levi.” He turned to look at Levi and the spark of betrayal in his eyes dug deep into Levi's chest. “It seems you don't give a shit about how this makes me feel.” 

Levi raised his eyebrows at the use of language, stopping himself from smiling. So the kid was just as good at swearing as Levi; perhaps there was a point to this whole mate thing. “You didn't tell me how you feel.” Levi muttered in reply. He had no idea how to do this. He didn't do relationships. 

“Well, consider this,” Eren started, his fists clenching slightly, Levi noted. “I'm still young, just out of training, ready to get out there and try and save some people. I want to get out of these walls and discover new places, new sceneries, new lands. But instead, I'm told I'm stuck here, sitting atop this fucking wall with nothing to do but stare out at a place I will never get to go to.” 

Levi listened intently to Eren opening up and was rather shocked to hear that Eren wanted to leave the walls. Not many people did, considering the dangers. Even most of the vampires who joined the Survey Corps (since there was pretty much no other choice) begged to not be allowed out, but Eren was here, passionately expressing his desire to do just that. 

“And then I find out my mate, whom I probably shouldn't have found so early anyway, is not just a vampire, but the vampire everybody looks up to and wants to be. The very same vampire I grew up aspiring to be like.” His eyes softened slightly while he looked at Levi. “And I pretty much get rejected.” 

Levi frowned at the words instantly, already ready to interject and deny it, but Eren continued speaking. 

“And I don't know how you deal with it, but it's a torture. Nobody told me how it would feel since it differs for everybody but,” Eren paused and took a deep breath in. “It's like I always want to be by your side, and to know that this is the opposite of what you want, hurts.” Eren sneered. “It physically hurts. I've spend the last three days writhing in pain through sleepless nights.” He admitted. “That's why Mikasa wanted to jump at your throat. She had to stay with me the whole time.” 

Realising Eren was finished, Levi became speechless. “I'm sorry, Eren.” He spoke. “And I know some half-assed apology isn't going to help or change anything.” He sighed. 

“Then why bother?” Eren snapped. 

“Because I'm fucked up, Eren.” Levi admitted with a sad laugh. “I have no idea how to deal with relationships, or with people who I care about in general. I always fuck it up.” He finished with a sigh, his eyebrows furrowing sadly. 

“Well, you're here to see me during the day,” Eren started, squinting up at the sun. “You kind of risked it. That's a step in the right direction.” 

“I didn't want a mate.” Levi admitted and Eren's eyes widened before turning away, clearly hurt. “I was so against the idea because having somebody you care about makes you weak.” 

Eren furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. “People you care about are your motivation to do better, not worse.” He pointed out. 

Levi chuckled, “You're clever for your age.” He muttered, bringing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. “But, over the past few days I realised I can't stay away.” He added with a sigh. “It hurts.” He admitted to which Eren nodded. 

“Right.” Eren muttered. 

“And I,” Levi paused, thinking over his words carefully. “I want to do this.” He finished with a sigh before turning to look at Eren. “If I'm to have a mate, I'm kind of glad it's you.” And it was true. He could already see that Eren wouldn't put up with his bullshit, and that's exactly the type of person he needed in his life. 

“Thanks.” Eren murmured in reply. 

Levi smiled lightly. “Tomorrow.” He spoke up. “When is your shift?” He asked, as if he didn't have a piece of paper back at the base which told him the exact details.

“I start just before sunrise.” Eren replied, a small smile pulling at his lips.

“I'll be here.” Levi spoke up. “I promise.” 

Eren smiled. “Good.” He replied. “I hardly know anything about you.” 

Levi narrowed his eyes. “Then what was that speech about aspiring to be me?” He chuckled. 

Eren smiled again, the smile wider. “I meant you.” He replied. “The real you. Not 'Humanity's Strongest.'” 

“Right.” Levi nodded. “So, tomorrow is the 'sad back stories day'?” 

Eren laughed then, such a beautiful laugh that Levi felt something stir up in his stomach. Eren turned to look at him, that handsome smile still firmly on his face. “Just go before you get a sunburn.” He muttered, his eyes scanning over Levi's face. 

Levi stood up before Eren could decide he wanted to take that any further, straightening himself and clearing his throat. “Right.” He muttered, eyeing Eren once again. “Be careful.” He added quickly before giving Eren an awkward wave and turning around. 

“You too.” Eren murmured behind him, watching Levi walk away for a few seconds before he turned to watch the bright horizon in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So, yeah, quick update since I had this bit planned. It's not the most exciting chapter, but I really wanted to show that no matter what he said and did last chapter, the truth remains that Levi doesn't want a mate and that's not going to change easily. Of course, now that he realised Eren doesn't put up with his bullshit, this will start changing.  
> Yeah, the next chapter should have more ereri and maybe some sad back stories, but I'm not sure how soon I want to add those in. The other 104th people will also be making some kind of an appearance.  
> Not sure when the next update is coming but thank you to the people who are actually still reading and thank you for all the kudos and the amazing comments! They really make my day! :D  
> Thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren remained silent for a minute before a quiet whisper came, “You'll come back, right?”

“Is there a particular reason why we're cutting training short?” Petra asked, a glimmer of innocence shining in her eyes, which was a very spectacular sight to see inside a vampire's eye.

“I have to be up early.” Levi murmured in reply, not missing how the corners of her lips twitched up before she tried to muster a straight face again. It was currently 2AM, which meant that Levi would get just about three hours of sleep before he would have to be up to keep his promise.

Petra, however, furrowed her eyebrows shortly after. “I would have thought it was because Commander Smith called for a meeting.”

Levi suddenly perked up. “Erwin did?” He questioned, his eyebrows furrowing at the lack of notice he got about the meeting. “Why?”

Petra shrugged slightly, giving him a tentative look before shaking her head slightly. “I'm not sure.” She admitted. “I would think it's to do with another mission outside the walls.” She spoke. “That is what they usually are about.”

Levi felt something stir in the pit of his stomach. Going outside the walls has always been great for him; he looked forward to getting out there and seeing new things, discovering and just breathing in the fresh air that you only found outside the walls. But leaving right now meant there was more time and distance between him and Eren.

“Right.” He muttered, stopping in front of the door to his quarters.

“Levi.” He turned at the sound of his name to meet Petra's face, a caring smile plastered on her face. She hesitantly brought her hand up and cupped his cheek in her palm. His body immediately tensed at the unannounced physical contact. He stood still, not sure where this was going. “Don't stay out too much in the sun.” She smiled at him, patting his cheek slightly before turning around with a giggle.

Levi rolled his eyes and entered his room, a smile on his face against his better judgement. He was used to Petra being closer to him than anybody else (perhaps with the exclusion of Hanji who was close to him because she was an unstoppable maniac) so little touches here and there, he was used to. They did, after all, date for a while. Well, up until Petra's Etch kicked in. Now, Auruo was on the receiving end of those gentle smiles.

He undressed, making sure to fold his clothes neatly on the chair and then got into bed, scowling at the need of a shower in the morning since he was covered in sweat. Normally, it wouldn't let him sleep but today, he was completely exhausted.

He lay down on his pillow and sighed. He would see Eren soon, and that thought made things a little better.

~~*~~*~~

The trip to the wall was, as usual, long and boring. Levi did always enjoy a long horseback journey, but the fact that this long journey stood between him and his mate was almost unbearable. The anticipation in his chest returned and he couldn't help but bite his lip nervously as he neared. Would this be what people called a date?

Then again, he had heard much about Hanji's previous dates and most of those included candles, romantic dinners and then perhaps some weapon training, but the last was only probably because it was Hanji after all, and Mike would do anything to please her.

Once he arrived at the wall, he pulled the green hood over his head and made his way up, for once using the stairs since he was early anyway. He watched vampires come off duty after a long night and nodded once to a few that he knew. Most were the young recruits, in a hurry to get inside before the sun came out.

He turned the corner and bumped into somebody to which he received a growled 'Watch it.' He looked up at the familiar girl with a scowl before he understood where he knew her from; she was the girl that was way too familiar with Eren, the very same girl who had pretty much threatened Levi.

“Perhaps you should watch where you walk before you start growling at people like a rabid dog.” Levi sneered, taking a step around her but not before something caught his eye. A dark purple mark on her neck caught his eye and he immediately recognized it, pausing for a second. “Especially if you're a mutt.” He added with a shrug and continued walking, understanding that the remark was harsh but needed.

“Fuck you.” She snapped behind him, to which he stopped walking but didn't turn around. “Just because you were born a fucking leech doesn't give you the right to think you're better than others.” She spoke to him firmly, but something in her voice wavered for a second and he turned around.

“That was unnecessary, I admit.” He murmured, looking off to the ground before something clawed at his chest again, to reply and tell her off. “And I don't think I'm better than others. Far from it, actually.” He shrugged and turned again. “The reality is: us 'leeches' whom you hate so much simply have more freedom and opportunities than any of you do.”

A hand grabbed his arm and he turned with a hiss on his lips, his teeth snapping down instantly in a threatening display. He felt his pupils dilate, a different color spreading over his iris as he ripped away from her. “Don't touch me.” He growled.

“I'd sooner die than let you become mates with Eren.” She told him in a whisper, which was much worse than if she had screamed it.

Levi let his teeth slide back and sneered back at her, “Too bad you don't get a say in it.”

She looked over him once more, and he stood still under her heavy glare. “We'll see.” She murmured, her eyebrows furrowing before she turned and walked away. 

Once he checked the listing and quickly found Eren's name, he headed for the right block. The sun had risen now and there was a part of him that felt bad about not being able to watch the sun rise along Eren, but he quickly dismissed the thoughts. He had just about accepted having a mate, but he would not accept turning into a soft romantic now, of all times.

Once he spotted Eren, he also spotted the heavy glare his mate was sending towards another lycan soldier. Levi guessed they were of similar age. 

When he approached, Eren turned to look at him and a small smile spread over his face. “You're actually here.” He spoke. 

“I'm not sure I should be distracting you at a time like this.” Levi shrugged slightly, pausing an appropriate distance away from Eren. He wasn't keen on touching, and physical contact overall, so he only hoped Eren would follow his lead and take it slow. 

“It's day. There's no vampires about.” Eren shrugged, but his eyes skimmed down the edge of the wall, clearly checking for any lycan climbing it. Eren smirked, “Only the desperate ones come out.” 

“Watch it.” Levi replied with a growl to his voice but when Eren turned to see if he had offended him, he spotted a sparkle of playfulness in Levi's eyes. “It seems I bumped into your obsessive girlfriend on the way up.” Levi spoke up, scanning over the dirty ground before sitting down on it with a grumble. 

“My obsessi-,” Eren furrowed his eyebrows and his voice trailed off as he understood who Levi was talking about. “Mikasa is like my sister.” He told Levi. 

Levi sneered, “Does she know that?” 

Eren raised an eyebrow. “Are you jealous?” 

Levi hummed slightly, trying to think of an appropriate response. “Do I have reason to be?” 

“No.” Eren replied simply. 

“Good.” Levi said, watching as Eren sat down next to him but not as close as to actually touch him. “What's her story anyway?” 

Eren turned to look at him, but there was a sparkle in his eyes which told Levi he knew exactly what the topic had turned to. “It's not my place to say.” He murmured, looking away. 

Levi chuckled. “I was promised some sad back stories today.” He reminded. 

“Maybe I don't have one.” 

Levi paused for a second. “Everybody has one.” 

Eren seemed to consider for a second. “She wasn't born a wolf.” He stated. 

“Obviously.” Levi commented. “But I do believe blood-letting was banned some time ago.” He pointed out with a shrug. “I thought you were a law-breaker, but I didn't think you'd go that far.” Levi told him honestly. 

“She turned when we were kids.” Eren told him in a reply. “There, um...” He paused, trying to find the words. “She was taken by a group of vampires when she was nine.” 

Levi straightened up at the mention of vampires. 

“They had their fun with her.” Eren almost growled and Levi watched his fists clench. “They would have left her for dead if I didn't show up.” Levi's thoughts instantly ran to a nine-year-old Eren trying to save somebody. “I-I,” He broke off, frowning. “I blacked out. I must have shifted, because I don't remember anything that happened. When I came around again, the vampires were dead and Mikasa and I were the only people in the room.” 

Levi tensed at his words. At a mere age of nine, Eren had killed a vampire. Not a rogue. An adult, sane vampire whom had probably been a part of the Survey Corps. Such behavior was punished by death; nobody ever spoke of it out loud, but it was obvious that vampires were more valued than the lycans.

“How the fuck do you kill a vampire and not remember it?” Levi hissed, and quickly tried to calm himself. Eren was clearly having a tough time telling him all of this and he was trusting Levi, to which the vampire wasn't used to. This, however, did take breaking the law to a whole other level. Eren was a murderer. 

Eren turned to him, his teeth gritted. “They hurt her without remorse. They left her to bleed out and didn't give a shit about what would happen to the poor, weak human girl.” He growled out the words. “Don't feel sorry for them. They didn't deserve it.” 

And Levi knew Eren was right. Such people never deserved to be pitied, Levi knew this from first hand experience. It still didn't change the fact that Eren had murdered somebody. 

“I had to turn her or she would die.” Eren's voice had become blank now as he continued. “She ended up alive and didn't turn into a Rogue. She was, and still is, strong.” There was a question on Levi's lips and Eren answered it with ease. “I didn't get punished for what I did because I was just a kid.” Levi also suspected that the fact that most of law enforcement was made up of lycans and they could forgive a murder of a vampire as opposed to one of their own. All of this hierarchy and stereotype and discrimination was utter bullshit.

“I'm surprised you told me all of this.” Levi pointed out. 

Eren shrugged. “It's on my permanent record. You would have found out anyway and I'd rather you hear it from me.” 

Levi nodded once and then sighed, looking away. Eren was clearly capable of killing but to black out while shifting was unheard of. That only happened during a full moon and it was clearly not a good sign if it happened to Eren before that. 

“Guess it explains why she hates vampires so much.” Levi murmured in reply, something clawing at his chest which seemed to be guilt at how he had spoken with Mikasa. Turning to look at Eren, he noticed Eren shooting daggers towards the other lycan again. “What's with the childish glaring contest?” 

Eren turned to look at him with a shrug. “Jean and I don't get along.” He spoke simply. “Never really did.” He added but a smirk overtook his lips and Levi raised an eyebrow. “Except in certain circumstances.” 

Levi recognized the glint in his eye. “You fucked.” He spoke blankly, a certain heat suddenly lighting up his chest. Now, that probably was jealousy, now that he thought about it. 

Eren shrugged. “A few times.” He replied before turning to look at Levi with a teasing grin. “You sure you still want to be here? After everything you heard?” 

He wasn't sure how to reply. If he had a choice, he would rather be sitting in his office, filling out papers and not worrying about a mate at all. But since that was clearly not an option, he settled for the second best answer. 

“It's funny how you think any of this is shocking to me.” He chuckled. “I'm not innocent either, Eren.” 

Eren leaned back, lying flat on his back with his arms bent under his head. A slow smile spread over his lips and he hummed low. “I like that.” He whispered. 

Levi furrowed his eyebrows. “What?” 

“I like the way you say my name.” Eren replied, keeping his eyes closed but Levi could swear he saw a blush creeping up on his cheeks. “I never imagined you would even know my name.” 

Levi frowned at the clear adoration in Eren's voice and settled for keeping his eyes on the horizon. “Right.” He cleared his throat slightly, not sure how to reply to that. “Well, I'm missing a meeting right now for you, so you better feel important.” 

Eren's eyes opened. “A meeting?” 

“It's probably about an expedition outside the walls.” Levi shrugged slightly like it was nothing. He turned to look at Eren, clearly having peaked his interest. “I remember you saying you'd like to go outside the walls.” 

“Of course I would.” Eren scoffed, moving his eyes away from Levi. “But it won't ever happen.” 

Levi felt slightly sorry for a second, since he understood the craving to go outside badly. He himself loved getting out of those damn walls. “Unfortunately.” Levi agreed. 

“So what's your sad back story?” Eren questioned. 

“We'd be here until nightfall.” Levi chuckled. “Besides, I feel like you haven't told me everything about you yet.” 

“Right.” Eren nodded, leaning back to lay down on the ground again and Levi almost cringed at the amount of dirt getting on Eren's jacket from that action. “My mom was killed by a Rogue that sneaked over the wall.” He said it so casually Levi felt like Eren had spoken this part of the story many times before. “My father works for the government. Ever since mom died, he doesn't really give a shit. I see him once every other month or so.” He shrugged. “So right now I live with Mikasa. The only good my father is good for is paying rent.” He spat and sighed, trying to calm himself again. 

“Sorry.” Levi muttered. “About your mother, I mean.” 

“It was a long time ago.” Eren muttered, but there was clear pain in his voice as he did. When he realized Levi was about to push further, he quickly added, “I don't like talking about it.” 

“Can I ask you something?” Levi muttered instead. 

“Sure. But if it's about Jean being a good l-” 

“No.” Levi quickly cut him off. “The other day, you jumped right into danger to save a vampire. Why?” 

Eren looked at him as if Levi had grown two heads. “Because Marco is my friend.” Eren replied simply. “I could see he was injured.” 

Levi frowned. “But-” 

“I don't really give a shit whether somebody is a vampire or a wolf or human or whatever. As long as they're a good person.” Eren told him and Levi silently admired how mature it was for Eren to have this mindset. “And I got along great with Marco back at the barracks. I wouldn't want to see him hurt.” 

“That's impressive, even after what happened to your friend.” Levi commented but then his shoulders tensed. “Unfortunately, as you grow up you'll realize that it's all bullshit.”

Eren frowned. “Why do you say that?” 

“It doesn't matter whether you hate vampires or not. In the end, there is a never-ending feud between us and nobody has been able to stop it. As you grow up, you learn to look out for yourself.” Levi looked off into the distance. “If you continue to risk your life for others, you'll die. Nobody else will.” 

“You do it.” Eren quickly chirped in. 

“I don't do it for others.” Levi told him simply. “I do it for myself. All of it leads back to me somehow.” He paused and licked over his lips. “If I'm present at the wall and there's a breach, and I don't do anything and the Rogue gets past: I'll be blamed for it. I'm in the Survey Corps because it's either that, or living as a farmer or a thief. I go outside the walls because I like the freedom and the fresh air as opposed to this godforsaken trap.” He paused, scowling. “I kill, because that's the only thing I'm good at.”

Eren frowned and his hand twitched, as if to move towards Levi. Levi watched the move carefully and when Eren's hand didn't move further, he visibly relaxed. “I know that's not true.” Eren insisted, his bright, lively eyes set on Levi.

“You know nothing, Eren.” Levi replied simply. He enjoyed the talk so far since it hasn't been about him and he wanted to get to know Eren a bit more but now that it was his turn to talk, he dreaded every second. “You don't know me.” 

“Maybe I don't.” Eren admitted. “But I can see right past this facade you put up.” Eren pointed out. “You act like you don't give a shit, throw out rude comments and look as if you have better things to do than, for example, sit here and talk to me.” Eren looked away and returned to his previous position. “But I can see that all of it is just not true.” 

Levi laughed lightly. “I see you won't ever be dealing with my bullshit.” He muttered to which Eren hummed in agreement. “That's good.” Levi commented. “But it's also wrong.” He added. “As a matter of fact, I do have other things to do. For example, I really should be at that meeting.” 

Eren looked up at him. “Then why aren't you?” 

Because I can't stay away from those bright fucking eyes of yours, Levi thought but immediately stopped before one word could make it out of his mouth. “I was afraid that if I didn't show up, you'd be despaired enough to jump from the wall and commit suicide.” 

Eren laughed and Levi had to force his stomach to stop flipping all over the place. “Sounds like me.” He shot back playfully. 

“Corporal! Corporal Levi!” Levi and Eren both looked up at a voice calling and Levi quickly found a figure in a green hooded cloak approaching quickly, running towards them. Paired with the light brown hair and a determined look in his eyes, Levi quickly recognized Moblit running towards him. Moblit being here only meant Hanji had sent him. 

He stood up and met Moblit face to face. “What is it?” 

Moblit handed him an envelope before bending over and trying to catch his breath. Levi quickly skimmed over the writing. “Why didn't Hanji tell me herself?” Levi asked him and a panicked look crossed Moblit's face. Sometimes Levi felt sorry for him; Moblit was, after all, Hanji's assistant and the second-in-command after her which always kept him in a state of near-panic. After all, Hanji was crazy sometimes. Or, well, most of the time. Or, well, always.

“She was going over the plans with Commander Smith, I believe.” Moblit replied quickly, biting down on his lip before chirping out a quick, “Sir.” 

“Right.” Levi muttered, putting the envelope into one of his pockets. “Go back to headquarters. Tell Hanji I'll be back soon and I'll need to know the exact details.” 

Once Moblit had turned around and left, Levi turned back to Eren, meeting him face to face now that Eren was standing. Or, well, face to chin since Eren was taller than him. “What is it?” Eren questioned. 

“Details of the mission which I missed from the meeting. If I pretend to know shit, maybe Erwin won't chew me out for not being there.” Levi sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “We're leaving tomorrow morning. It's only the elite members of the Survey Corps who will be going since we're traveling during the day. It's a short mission; we're supposed to scope out a building or some shit for a future expedition.” He turned sideways and looked out into the distance again; he was slowly understanding why Eren liked doing that. 

Eren remained silent for a minute before a quiet whisper came, “You'll come back, right?”

Levi furrowed his eyebrows and turned to look at Eren. He inhaled lightly and bumped his shoulder against Eren's gently, getting his attention. “Don't start doubting me now, kid.” 

“Right.” Eren muttered in a reply. Levi looked away again. 

Then again, no return was ever guaranteed. 

But now, he had someone to return to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. You have some background here. Levi still remains a mystery. Does anybody notice any of his ticks though? ;P  
> I want to thank you guys for the amazing response I keep getting for this story. If any of you are reading from Own Ending, I hope not to disappoint you with this one either. I'm really excited for this story.  
> The plot will be thickening starting next chapter so get ready for that.  
> Thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “People still died.” Levi pointed out, which made Hanji's smile slowly vanish. “It's not a success unless every person who left those gates, comes back."

He sat horse-back before the tall, menacing wall; his head titled back to try and look upon the top of the structure where he knew his mate was at the moment. He silently wondered if Eren was looking down the impressive height to try and find Levi's ant-like body on the ground.

Hanji elbowed him in the ribs to get his attention, to which he hissed in pain and shot her a deathly glare. She, in turn, gave him a cheeky smile and nodded towards Erwin, who was still at the front talking loudly. Levi had studied over the plan carefully; anything Erwin would say now, Levi knew perfectly so he had an excuse to not pay attention.

He suddenly wondered what was happening with him; he always paid attention. His teeth gritted as realisation dawned on him that ever since his Etch kicked in, he was dismissing his work in exchange of thinking of the damn lycan he was tied to. He didn't like the fact it was already affecting him so much.

There were only about 40 of them leaving. There were six 'distraction squads' (as they called it) made up of five, which involved Levi and his squad. The other ten (which involved Hanji, Erwin, Mike and other higher-ups) were to reach their desired location and quickly scope it out while the others kept the Rogues busy. The location was some sort of a large abandoned building, which Erwin deemed worthy of checking out as it could become a safe zone for longer expeditions. After all, sunlight was their main enemy when it came to expeditions.

Meanwhile, Erwin had stopped talking and turned around, taking up the front of the formation. As Levi wasn't far behind, he could see the determined look upon the Commander's face, the very same look he was used to; that look was what usually comforted new recruits before their first expedition.

Hanji had reached out to squeeze Mike's hand and he gave her a reassuring smile in return, tilting his head slightly to get the hair out of his eyes. Levi rolled his eyes; why didn't he just get a haircut?

The large gates before them began opening with loud metallic clanks and Levi tightened his hands over the reins of his horse, stroking its head reassuringly. He pulled his hood down lower as to avoid more sunlight and then they were off. Erwin started and not long after, the rest followed right behind, leaving the gates of the safe zone.

In the corner of his eye, Levi spotted a lycan Rogue pause in his climb up the wall and watch as they left. A howl sounded throughout the air and Levi knew that they had been spotted and would now be the primary target.

But they continued. Their horses were specially trained to outrun even the fastest of lycans, perhaps not for long, but for a considerable amount of time. Erwin hurried his horse and the others followed quickly. Distance was key right now.

Levi awaited for the first flare to go off. It was only a few minutes later, when he felt even his own horse slow down slightly after the powerful gallop that he knew the time had come. Erwin raised his hand and shot out an orange flare in the appropriate direction.

There were a few commanding yells and then one of the squads separated from the group, following the direction of the flare into a wooded area. Levi watched them prepare to take off on their 3D manoeuvring gear. He also watched the closest lycans follow right behind the squad at the mere smell of blood. Vampire Rogues were no problem during the day; they hid out in caves and thick forests, hiding from the deadly sunlight.

They continued. A few minutes later, when lycans had started gaining on them again, another orange flare was sent out and another squad separated from the group, attracting the Rogues into a wooded area not far away.

Another flare was shot out eight minutes later, by Levi's count. Another squad left. More Rogues followed.

Finally, there were fifteen left. Levi tensed, looking back only for a second to see that a considerable amount of Rogues were following them. He turned back to look at Erwin, who ha clearly spotted the same thing and gave Levi a nod. Levi's squad was the last distraction squad, and perhaps the most important. The building was not far now.

The orange flare was shot out and he immediately separated from the rest, following its direction, hearing his squad follow right behind. His hand reached into the pouch stuck at his belt and brought out the small piece of sharp glass. He heard movement behind him and knew well that his squad watched him, to act in the exact moment he would.

He brought up his other hand and let the glass sink into skin, cutting along with palm before he dropped the bloody piece of glass to the ground, his own hand giving out a small wave of pain to let him know there was a bleeding cut there.

Leaving the bloody piece of glass behind got the Rogues onto their trail. They followed the first scent of blood in hopes to sink their teeth into some flesh. The small, almost non-existent wound would keep the scent in the air and keep them interested in following the squad until they reached a wooded area.

Seeing the trees not far from them, Levi sat up, making sure his gear was working. He raised his hand, signalling the other squad members to do the same but inside, he knew they were perfectly in sync with him. He only had the best of the best, after all.

Shooting out the hooks and latching onto a nearby tree, he brought his hand up to his mouth and whistled, a signal for his horse to leave. The Rogues' primary target were they, but if it looked like the target was unreachable, the Rogues wouldn't deny sinking their fangs into a horse either.

The sound of 3DMG repeated behind him, followed by similar whistling; each of its own tune. The horses continued down the forest while the vampires used their gear, getting up on the trees. Once Levi deemed he was high enough, he stopped, bending his knee and resting on the tree as he looked around for the rest of his squad.

The Rogues had reached them now and his hand tensed, ready to attack at any moment. The wolves struggled to get up the trees but some were already figuring it out, climbing up the branches which held them up, or using their claws and teeth to sink into the bark and move up with their powerful paws.

“Engage!” He let go, dropping down with speed to meet the first wolf head on, his feet landing on its closed nuzzle and making it drop to the ground. Levi went up again, pushing away from the tree, shooting out the hooks to pierce through the opposite tree as he twirled through the air, dodging the jaws of the wolf and moving his blades in a furious move across the back of the wolf's nape.

See, the vampire's weak spot were their hearts. Pierce a heart, the vampire dies. But for lycans, it was much harder to reach the heart as it was enclosed in a very hard protective shell followed by hard ribs and the usual. However, lycans had a weak spot at the back of their necks. It stopped them from healing quickly again, as that was one of their primary abilities, and a precise slice there would cause an instant death if deep enough.

He dodged another wolf heading for him just in time, managing to kick the side of his body before Levi shot up into the air again and came down spinning, the quick moves of his blades around his body like a protective tornado. The wolf whimpered when a blade cut at it's nuzzle and backed away slightly, which gave Levi the advantage to attack and slice out a fair bit of its nape.

He watched Petra and Auruo work together to attack a wolf from both sides, confusing it as one of them dodged an attack and the other cut at its neck, with Auruo loudly whooping after they did.

Levi landed at the ground, squeezing his hand hard to make more blood trail down his hand as the wound had began closing up already. A wolf turned to look at him, its nuzzle working to follow the trail as it attacked, trying to tackle Levi in a hurry. But the hooks were already in motion, bringing him above the wolf. With a quick lean forward, he sliced at the nape, executing a perfect front flip while he did.

He watched Gunther land on the ground and exchanged a look with him, followed by a nod. Attracting the wolf's attention, Gunther prepared for the attack while Levi circled around, attacking the wolf from the air. The unsuspecting lycan whimpered as Levi's blades pierced through skin and muscle before dropping to the ground, drowning in its own blood.

Gunther grinned at him and shot up into the air again, a smile stuck on his face. Killing one more lycan with his signature spin and a quick move of the blades across skin, Levi paused against a tree higher up, scanning over the remaining lycans. There were a few more moving towards them in the distance, which meant the distraction worked and the squad ahead wouldn't need to deal with as many.

One of the lycans caught his attention more than the others. The wolf's fur was a dark brown, almost black, and something pulled at Levi's chest as he recognised the colour to be the same as Eren's. He watched patiently, in hopes to see the wolf's eyes. Eren's bright eyes filled his mind and he almost smiled, if it wasn't for a loud, “Corporal!”

He looked away from the wolf and pushed away from the tree sideways just in time to dodge a lycan's jaws closing over the spot he was resting. The wolf landed on a nearby thick branch and growled, snarling dangerously at Levi. Levi simply circled around the tree, attacking the stupid, unsuspecting lycan from the back and killing it with a deadly blow.

He gritted his teeth; thinking of Eren at these times would get him killed.

So, instead, he lowered and attacked at the exact lycan he was watching before, trying not to compare it to Eren. The lycan's eyes were dark, unlike Eren's.

A green flare shot out into the bright sky and Levi instantly shot up the tree, wrapping his wounded hand in a small cloth as he whistled at the same time the others did. He saw the horses circle around from where they had previously headed, now heading back to them. Just before they reached them, the squad lowered down and killed one more wolf each, clearing out a way for an easy escape.

Levi cut at the wolf in his way and then landed perfectly on his horse, stashing the blades away and grabbing the reins, urging the horse to run faster. Mastering movement with the 3DMG was a must; one wrong, miscalculated move and the wolf's jaws could trap you in them. That was perhaps why so many new recruits died on their first expeditions.

The left the forest quickly after that, with the odd lycan or two following them since they didn't get to kill them. He was glad; he could feel that his gas tanks were almost empty and that would have made the fight much harder. He spotted the group in the distance, heading towards the direction Erwin had shot out the flare. Guns sounded s they kept nearing lycans at a safe distance, the horses running slower so that all the distraction squads could catch up.

Joining Hanji's side, Levi picked up his own gun and aimed, shooting at a nearby wolf to slow it down. Guns were always used on the way back; they could attract a crowd now since they were heading back but attracting a large crowd with the noise when starting an expedition was not a good idea.

Squad after squad joined them again, bringing the group up in numbers. Levi might have noticed one or two missing, but it was to be expected. There were always some casualties, no matter how skilled a person was.

The routine continued, shooting at nearing wolves to keep them away as they kept their pace rather slow, making sure to give the horses a time to recover before they would need to stretch the last distance.

The wall wasn't far now and the sun was still in the sky. This had only taken them a few hours. It was a short expedition after all. “Well?” He spoke, reloading the gun and shooting at a nearby wolf before turning to look at Hanji for a second.

“Success.” She grinned. “It looks quite abandoned, except for perhaps a few vampires inside.” She told him quickly, reloading her own gun. “We can use it during the next expedition.”

He nodded in return, watching as Erwin prepared a flare. Another green flare was shot out, in the direction of the walls and every person put their guns away, grabbing the reins and forcing the horses into a gallop as the red flags were waved on top of the wall in response.

The last stretch was fast. The horses were trained to massively outrun wolves, but only for a short distance so when the last green flare was shot out, the horses immediately rushed forward and the people operating the gates at the wall were prepared to open the gate.

Levi had gone into a slightly slower gallop than the others, making sure to keep more to the back in case some of the Rogues got inside the walls. It happened most of the time, after all. The gate was heavy and slow and closing it back down again took a moment too long.

The gate had just opened into the right amount of space for Erwin to pass under, followed by the rest of the soldiers. Levi was the last to enter the walls again and he smelt the sudden change in the air when he did. But he immediately got off his horse and drew his blades, as well as others, in preparation.

The gate lowered slowly and the Rogues burst in at the last possible moment, in a high speed chase after them. Levi was ready but was still tackled by a wolf, kicking out from under him before he stashed a blade into his stomach repeatedly, trying to get him to stumble and dodging its deadly jaws.

Three more Rogues had burst in but The Garrison soldiers were ready now and Levi watched as soldiers shifted into their own wolf forms, attacking the unwelcome Rogues. A wolf tackled the Rogue that had attacked Levi and Levi instantly got up, ready to help. But the lycan was already ripping out the nape of the Rogue with its claws before dropping the dead, lifeless body to the ground.

With the gate fully shut, everybody seemed to relax as the lycans began to shift back into their human bodies one by one. The lycan whom had tackled and helped out (just a little, though) Levi had shifted and Levi narrowed his eyes at the familiar boy. He was the same boy Eren had claimed to not get along with; Jean, was it?

Levi respectfully kept his gaze above waist level as the lycans were handed clothes by others and began dressing again. He nodded once to Jean, perhaps to show his gratitude but received nothing but a glare and a firm nod in return. Clearly not a vampire fan then.

He walked forward, getting up on his horse again and trotting forward, meeting the crowds of shocked humans. Most cheered since it wasn't their loss; hardly any would care for the little number they had lost unless they were the victims' families.

Hanji had appeared by his side again with a smile on her face. “What are you smiling about?” He shot at her.

“The mission was a success! Of course I'm going to be happy!” She exclaimed with a manic laugh.

“People still died.” Levi pointed out, which made Hanji's smile slowly vanish. “It's not a success unless every person who left those gates, comes back.” He told her before speeding up, riding away from her and hopefully, away from the damn loud humans.

~~*~~*~~

He just needed some fucking sleep, but apparently, everything in this damn world was against him today. They had came back from the expedition after noon (so Eren would probably be home), and since then, he didn't get any damn rest. All he wanted was some sleep.

If it wasn't Gunther knocking at the door to ask for the training schedule, it was Hanji knocking on the door with some crazy ideas about further experiments and to make the matters worse, Mike had knocked on the door too, saying Erwin sent him. But Levi told them all to fuck off. He needed sleep right now; he would be busy later with training and visiting a certain bright-eyed lycan.

There was a knock on the door and Levi cursed again. “What the fuck is it now?” He growled.

“Corporal Levi?” The door opened slightly and a girl peeked around it, her innocent baby blue eyes staring at him in horror. “Um, Commander Smith sent me.” She told him quietly and he narrowed his eyes at her before he realised how scared she looked.

He sighed, trying to keep his voice patient. “Come in.” He murmured.

The girl came in and closed the door behind her, bringing her small hand up to push blonde hair out of her face. He watched her silently; she was clearly a new soldier, straight out of training. She looked small and fragile and he was pretty sure a wolf would snap her body in half within seconds.

But as she strode forward, there was a certain determination in her large, baby blue eyes and Levi almost smiled in admiration at it. So her looks didn't match the character. Her looks were a large plus for her though; if she was older, he was younger and unmated, she would definitely be his type. He was a sucker for large, bright eyes, after all. But, in the background, he could faintly smell that she already had a mate.

“He told me to give you this letter, sir.” She told him, firmly holding out a letter. Did Erwin take to training recruits himself now?

Levi nodded once and took the letter, opening it and skim-reading it quickly. “He has to be fucking kidding me.” He muttered to himself. Erwin had ordered him to take a training class tomorrow, saying that one of the instructors was preoccupied and Levi was the next best bet. Right; Levi would clearly enjoy ordering around fresh out of the barracks brats.

He smirked and folded up the letter; that actually did sound like fun. Except for the part where he had no patience when it came to that.

“Tell Erwin I'll do it.” He told the girl, watching as her eyes widened at the direct use of Erwin's name. She nodded and turned to leave before his question stopped her. “What's your name?” He asked her.

She paused and turned back around, saluting him with the Survey Corps salute (which she did right, thank god) and clearly pronouncing, “Historia Reiss, sir.”

“Are you in the group I'm supposed to train tomorrow, Reiss?” He asked her clearly and watched her eyebrows furrow slightly. He gave her a small, knowing smile. “Don't act like you didn't peek at the letter. Anybody would.” A small blush quickly crept up her cheeks. “I don't care if you did.” He told her. “Well?”

“Yes, sir. I am.” She replied to him.

He nodded. “Tell your friends to not fuck up tomorrow. I don't have the patience for unskilled brats.” He ordered and watched as she nodded, saluted him again and then turned, leaving the room quickly.

He leaned back on his bed and sighed, hoping he could finally get some peace now that he dealt with one of the issues. He smirked as he realised why Erwin sent Historia; her innocent looks made you feel guilty for acting like a dick towards her.

His eyes soon began to close and he drifted, dreaming about bright eyes staring back at him.

~~*~~*~~

When he woke up, it was completely dark outside and he sat up startled, looking over at the clock to see if he was late for training. It was only 8PM so he still had four hours before training started. He knew exactly how he would spend them.

Sleeping some more.

But the clawing feeling at his stomach didn't rest, burning up and pulling at him, forcing him to think of the bright-eyed boy who was probably waiting for him. He brought his hand up to his forehead and hissed at the burning temperature. He sat up and grabbed the suppressants before popping two into his mouth and looking around for something to drink.

“Levi!” There came a hard few knocks on the door, which made him almost growl as he got out from the bed. Hanji didn't wait for an answer, she simply charged through the door and quickly looked around the room for him. “There you are.” She sighed, leaning on the door out of breath.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” He murmured as he got out of bed and walked over to the chair, beginning to button his shirt up carefully.

“There's been a breach.” She notified him.

“There's a breach every few hours.” Levi replied simply.

“No, Levi, you don't understand.” She hurried out. “Just after sunset, Rogues got onto the wall and made it through the guards.” His fingers paused on the buttons. “There's nine lycans and six vampires dead.” She breathed out, taking quick steps towards him.“The Rogues made it into the city. Do you understand that?”

It took him a few seconds to register what was happening and his brain quickly worked out the details. “The dead lycans.” He breathed out, his eyes widening as he looked to her for an answer.

She shook her head quickly. “I checked. None of them is Eren.” He nodded to her in gratitude.

He began putting his gear on quickly after that. “Have we found them?”

Hanji shook her head. “We're searching, but we don't know whether we're looking for a vampire or a lycan.” She paused, clearly uncomfortable. “They're leaving a trail of bodies behind...”

He looked up. “Humans?” She nodded in reply. The very same humans who had been cheering him on just a few hours before. “How many?”

“Ten, so far.”

“Fuck.” He growled. “Can nobody do anything right, around here?” He hissed, finishing strapping on his gear. He stashed the blades into their correct places. “Where were they last seen?”

“Shiganshina district.” Hanji told him quickly, following behind him out of the room.

“My squad?”

“Already on the way.” She replied without hesitation.

“And you chose to wake me last?” He growled.

“I didn't know you were here. I thought you were at the wall.” She explained, and he understood that he was supposed to visit Eren around this time, so her prediction would have been right if he didn't oversleep.

Walking out of the building and into the stables, he grabbed his already saddled mare and got up, looking down at Hanji for a second. “Aren't you coming?” He asked her.

She hesitated for a second. “Erwin asked me to stay.” She mumbled.

Levi furrowed his eyebrows at the order but shook his head to get rid of the thoughts and pulled on the reins, sending the horse into a wild gallop out of the stables. Shiganshina district wasn't actually that far from here since the headquarters were designed to be placed near the wall.

He knew he had gotten to the right place when the streets began to become filled with panicking humans, running one way or the other, mothers screaming for their children and overconfident men yelling at the soldiers trying to do their best.

Getting off his horse, he muttered a quick 'stay' and pushed through the crowd, reaching the two Survey Corps soldiers at the front. “What the hell is happening?” He growled at the recruit he had seen before. The very same recruit Eren had saved on the wall; he was seeing a lot of him around.

“Corporal Levi.” Marco chirped, his eyes widening as his posture quickly straightened. “We can't get the crowd under control.” He quickly explained.

Levi looked around at the shoving humans, a snarl ready at his lips. His hand reached for his belt and he watched Marco's eyes widen as he took out his gun and jumped up on a nearby crate, which put him on a slightly higher level. He lifted the gun and pressed the trigger. 

The sound of gunshots made the crowd freeze for a few seconds, all eyes turning to Levi. “You're all making our jobs really fucking difficult!” He yelled out to them, putting the gun back in its place. “Pick a way to go and leave! Get back into your homes and shut the doors behind you! If you continue to stand around here causing a damn panic, you're all just meat waiting to be eaten!” He finished, making sure his cravat was on properly. 

Nobody moved and Levi rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Now!” 

People began to move, muttering amongst themselves while Levi turned to Marco. “Which way did they go?” He asked quickly, sizing up Marco. There was a certain smell in the air that Levi recognised, and he was trying to work it out. 

“They were heading south of here.” Marco told him. 

“Good.” Levi murmured, looking around quickly. “Lycans or vampires?” 

“Both.” 

That made Levi pause. “What?” 

“Both.” 

“Working together?” He sneered. Marco nodded firmly. “Fuck.” Levi murmured, glad that the crowd was quickly dispersing. “Where's all the soldiers?” 

“We have Survey Corps soldiers doing crowd control, mostly. There's lycans on the trail of the Rogues.” 

“Who the fuck came up with that?” Levi spat. He rolled his eyes as he reached his answer. “Of course, Nile would. The bastard is looking for the glory after his soldiers catch the dangerous Rogues.” 

“Sir,” Marco began, frowning. “They won't catch them.” He commented, looking away. 

“Why do you say that?” 

“Someone told me. They're too fast.” Marco answered, and things started shaping up in Levi's mind. 

“Your mate,” Levi started, finding the smell of a mate on Marco and recognising it. “He's a lycan?” 

Marco visibly blushed. “Yes, sir.” 

“Hmm,” Levi hummed, his hands grabbing the blades at his gear, his fingers hovering over the buttons. “We'll speak of that later. Have you seen-” 

Marco smiled knowingly. “I saw him with the rest of The Garrison soldiers. He's fast.” 

Levi nodded in thanks and then stepped away, pressing the buttons and launching into the air at the same time the hooks shot out and grabbed onto the nearest building. Sending Lycans into a high speed chase was stupid. They were fast in their wolf forms, but not as fast as a soldier with 3DMG. 

Swinging through the empty streets and buildings, Levi looked carefully. He paused on a tall building, narrowing his eyes and depending on his night vision to not disappoint him. But he saw nothing that looked like a high speed chase. 

A howl startled him from the right and he tensed, looking that way. That was clearly a howl which meant to signal something. 

He set out quickly, jumping from roof to roof before he shot out, leaping into the air and flying between two buildings on his way, landing on a building and then latching onto a higher one again before he saw something in the corner of his eye. 

He just turned the corner and saw the last of the wolves turn, tails swinging as they rounded the corner in a furious hurry. He jumped over the building and shot out again, perhaps using more gas than he should have. Then again, his smaller figure did allow him to move with higher speed without using too much gas. 

He turned the corner and shot out the hooks again, finding himself above the running wolves. Making sure to avoid obstacles, he kept on a straight line and looked ahead, narrowing his eyes to see figures moving in the distance. This wasn't right. 

Rogues wouldn't run. They would meet however many soldiers were after them because they were starving for flesh. Unless, they already ate enough. There were many dead, Levi reminded himself. Nevertheless, this was still behaviour which was unheard of. He wondered if they were abnormals. 

He looked down at the wolves under him, some snarling at his presence while others ignored him. The wolf whom Levi was looking for looked up, connecting those bright eyes with him. Levi felt a sensation pass through his body as he realised that Eren was one of the wolves ahead and would be the one to meet the Rogues head on if they were to stop. 

This inspired him to move forward faster. Eren had only been out of training for a few days, and with the full moon coming up in a few days, he didn't want him to strain himself. 

He moved ahead, turning to fit through a gap before he shot forward again, swinging under the bridge and over the two houses before he appeared closer to the Rogues. There were two lycans and a vampire, all running along each other. One of the wolves had a burgundy fur while the other was white. The vampire ran with a hood over her (he guessed by the figure) head, which protected her identity. They definitely possessed intelligence. They couldn't be Rogues. 

He gritted his teeth. Rogue or not, they had killed people. His hands tightened over the buttons, sending him forward as he used even more gas. 

Undetected, he slid right over them, lowering until he was almost side by side with one of the wolves. He prepared his blade to strike as he slid through the air, but the vampire had clearly noticed him, because before he knew it she was pouncing at him, claws at the ready. 

Claws struck his blade as he parred the hit and pulled back slightly, with the wolves now noticing him. Both of the wolves turned towards each other for a second, both snarling before the both reacted at the same time. 

Gliding through the air above them, Levi was unable to block the hit. Both of the wolves had separated and pounced off the walls surrounding them, leaping into the air and snapping at Levi with their jaws. He had pulled back at the last moment, one of the hooks catching wrong against the building which made him almost lose his balance.

That was clearly teamwork. And they had somehow communicated without actually speaking. 

“Fucking dogs.” He snarled, his own fangs snapping down with the fury coursing through his veins. He had to stop them. Looking behind briefly, he noticed that the lycans were still on their trail, but far too behind to help with anything. He distinctly heard a howl through the air, a very familiar howl, which sounded perhaps a little too much like a warning from Eren.

He looked ahead and his eyes widened as he saw where they were heading. There was a tunnel to the underground, filled with tight tunnels and little caves which either led to short cuts through districts or the sewers. His gear would be useless there. He had to act and he had to do it now. 

He heard the sound of gear being used in the air and wondered who else was there, following. He hoped it was his squad, they would know how to act. But nevertheless, this was is last chance to stop them. 

He positioned his blades and prepared. The hooks caught ahead and he lowered himself right in between the wolves, spinning in the air with his blades ready to catch on any skin he could. 

He heard one of the wolves whimper, the one with the red-brown fur but he didn't have time to rejoice over the wound. The vampire had jumped in between both of the wolves and parred his blades with her claws, stopping to do just that which made him stop in the air. He shoved away from the vampire with his feet, twirling back in the air as the vampire flipped back. He paused by a wall, catching onto it and feeling his foot twist wrong under him. 

But he ignored the pain and watched as the vampire turned and began running after the wolves again, catching up with them. He shot out into the air quickly; they were almost at the tunnel. 

It was then he heard his gear give out a metallic clank and his eyes widened as his hooks shot out but no gas came to propel him after them. He braced for a rough landing, wrapping his arms around himself as he hit the ground flying, tumbling for a second before he came to a stop. “Corporal!” 

He got to his knees and looked up at the figures moving between the buildings. Petra landed beside him while four other Survey Corps with 3DMG flew past, still on the trail. “Are you okay?” She asked quickly, out of breath while she helped him up. 

“I'm fine.” He muttered but cringed once he actually stood on his ankle. The pain seemed worse now that he had to put weight on it and he scowled at the new injury. It was probably twisted and would heal within the hour or two, but it still hurt. 

Multiple wolves ran past him, still on the trail of the Rogues. He watched them enter the tunnels whereas the Survey Corps had to stop. 

“We should get you to a doctor.” Petra muttered, staring down at his ankle as she wrapped her arm around him and helped him stand up straight. 

A growl brought them both out of the conversation as one of the wolves stepped up to Levi, the large head nuzzling him in the stomach before he sniffed at the injured leg and growled low. He then turned slightly and flattened his ears against his head, his tail tensing as he snarled towards Petra, large, deadly canines on display as a threat. 

Levi scowled, shoving at his head slightly. “Stop it.” He hissed. “She's a friend.” 

Eren continued for a second more before he stopped and turned to look at Levi with a whimper, his ears flopping over his head as his eyes connected with Levi. 

“I'm fine.” Levi murmured, frowning as he looked towards the tunnel where the Rogues had disappeared. “Petra, make sure everybody knows the Rogues' location. And tell Erwin to make sure that Nile doesn't send his dogs after Rogues again. He ruined the chances of catching them.” Levi growled the last sentence while Eren whimpered, clearly offended at the reference to dogs. 

“Yes, sir.” Petra nodded before giving a hesitant look towards Eren. “Are you going to be okay?” 

Eren stood up, his enormous body huge enough for his head to level out with Levi's shoulder as he motioned his head towards an alley, turning his body slightly in that direction. “I'll be fine.” Levi murmured, taking a step forward and flinching as he did. 

But Eren was there. Eren was by his side, nudging his head against Levi's hand which told Levi to place his hand there and support himself on the huge wolf by his side. Eren began walking forward, with Levi following. “Your fur is really soft. Do you know that?” Levi murmured under his breath but heard Eren huff, almost like a quiet chuckle. 

Behind them, Petra smiled softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like the longest chapter yet. And I absolutely loved writing it. I love writing action and fight sequences. I hope I'm not too bad at those. There's not much ereri, but you meet a few more characters and the main plot has kind of began. There's cute ereri at the beginning of the next chapter :)  
> Thank you guys for the amazing response to the story! I absolutely love each and every one of you.  
> Also, can I bring your attention to this amazing [art](http://shinageha.tumblr.com/post/96000393603) by the amazing [shinageha](http://shinageha.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr. Like and reblog it! It's gorgeous!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren chuckled, smiling to himself lightly before he looked up at Levi. Something mischievous glimmered in his bright, teal-green eyes. “We're all a little wild.”

“Where the hell are you taking me anyway?” Levi hissed, still feeling a slight pinching pain at his ankle as they trudged down the alleys. The streets remained empty after the panic the breach brought and he hoped they would stay like that. He enjoyed the silence. 

Eren gave a huff, almost impatient but gave no other signs as to where they were going. Levi thought it was only fair; after all, he couldn't really speak. He wondered if that thing he heard about lycans who are mates communicating through their thoughts was true. It would clearly come in handy. 

Unfortunately, for all those advantages, he would have to accept the disadvantages, too. Blood-bonding would connect them on a higher level than it was possible and he was slowly starting to hesitate whether he wanted to take it that far. Hanji had been clear that the crave to do so would continue becoming stronger until he caved, but he continued to be resistant. 

“How come you were involved in that chase, anyway?” Levi muttered again, scowling. “You just finished training. You shouldn't be anywhere too dangerous, yet.” He continued, frowning further at the thoughts of harm coming to Eren. 

Eren looked at him from the corner of his eye, growling lightly. Levi rolled his eyes as he understood that Eren was clearly saying 'I can handle it, you ignorant fuck.' Perhaps not in those words. Or, well, perhaps it was. 

Stopping suddenly, Levi scowled as he stepped too hard and flinched in pain. Eren turned the corner and began walking up the stairs, with Levi trying to keep up. Eren stopped in front of a house door and Levi came to a realization that this was his house. 

“You haven't even taken me on a date yet and you're already bringing me home?” Levi chuckled, opening the door which Eren had nudged with his nose. “I thought you were classier than that.” He shrugged, walking into the house followed by Eren, who nudged the door closed with his back paw. 

Without hesitation, Levi sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, sighing in relief. “So, do you know any tricks?” He spoke up as Eren rolled his eyes, those beautiful bright eyes and stepped around the corner, without answering Levi. Levi drummed his fingers against the kitchen table. 

The kitchen was a rectangular table with four chairs in a light shade of oak. Matching those, a bit further away, stood a stove and a cooker and a fridge, which Levi regarded quickly and without interest. There was a door on the other side which he guessed was the bathroom. He supposed that there were stairs around the corner which led to the bedrooms upstairs. Eren did say he lived here with Mikasa, after all. A couch stood to the far side of the room, accompanied by a small, almost non-existent bookshelf. 

A soft pitter patter reached his ears and he turned to look towards the sound. Just as he turned, he saw something emerge from around the corner and he almost stumbled back with the chair, his hand grabbing at the blade at his hip and drawing it quickly. 

It was an animal, but this wasn't some dog Levi had seen numerous times helping hunters to bring in game. This was clearly a wild animal, with black fur and emerald green eyes. This was no dog, this was a wolf. And wolves were extinct, at least inside the walls. 

“For your information, I don't-” Eren paused in the action of buttoning up his shirt as he turned around the corner, his eyes widening. “Levi! Put that away!” He scolded, smacking at the blade in Levi's hand which remained pointed at the wolf. 

“What the fuck is that?” Levi motioned to the wolf sitting quietly in front of him, the tail wagging across the floor slowly. He only wondered how much dust gotten onto the fur. 

“Put it away.” Eren repeated, firmer this time. Once Levi did, he visibly relaxed. “This is Midnight.” Eren spoke with a shrug, crouching down to scratch the wolf pup behind the ear. 

“It's a wolf.” 

Eren looked up at him slowly. “Yeah.” He agreed. 

“They're all dead.” 

“Well, clearly she isn't.” Eren pointed out with a chuckle. “I found her in the woods a few months back.” He explained, looking fondly at the wolf. 

“Why didn't you kill it?” Levi hissed. “What the hell possessed you to bring it home?” 

“'It' has a name.” Eren murmured with a scowl, smiling lightly as the little wolf began scratching at his hand to continue petting her. “And I couldn't just leave her there. Or kill her.” He added sadly. 

Levi had no idea what was happening. 

“She, um,” Eren started hesitantly. “She reminds me of myself.” He whispered. “She was left there to kind of fend for her own. Like Mikasa and I.” 

“Aren't you afraid? It's a wild animal.” Levi pointed out. He didn't get it. He was never allowed any pets of his own, and to have such a deep devotion for something that wasn't even human, was just plainly strange. 

Eren chuckled, smiling to himself lightly before he looked up at Levi. Something mischievous glimmered in his bright, teal-green eyes. “We're all a little wild.” 

Levi continued to look at him. There were still so many things he didn't understand about Eren. Eren seemed to be such a free, energetic spirit whereas Levi only left his room when he really needed to. 

In the process, the wolf pup had gotten up and made her way towards Levi, scratching at his boot lightly. Levi tensed and Eren settled his eyes on him. “She wants you to pet her.” Eren murmured softly. 

Levi gave him a hesitant look as the little wolf continued to scratch at his boot. Trying to save his boots from bearing marks, he gave in and leaned down, slowly putting his hand against the soft, black fur. He liked the soft texture of it, but there was a creeping feeling crawling up his body which told him touching this wild animal was wrong. The wolf growled in satisfaction under his hand before she started walking away, leaving a soft pitter patter of tiny paws behind her. 

Eren got up from the ground and finished buttoning his shirt up as he straightened. “You want anything to drink?” He asked, walking over to the fridge. 

Levi hummed lightly, realizing how parched he was. But this wasn't a thirst Eren could help with. Not yet, anyway. And not that Levi would ask: ever. “Are you offering?” Levi asked, smirking as he let his teeth lengthen into the piercing fangs, his eyes turning red in the process. “Damn, you really have high expectations for the first date.”

Eren rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, I don't have what you're after around.” He murmured with a shrug. He then smirked, “But I'll make some food now so that we can actually count this as a date. If you're lucky, maybe you can stay the night. Sleeping in different beds of course, like a gentleman.” Eren saw the horrified look on Levi's face and burst out laughing before beginning to cut up something. 

“How's your ankle?” Eren asked after a few seconds. 

“Almost perfectly healed.” Levi replied, rolling his foot around slightly. He stood up, a mischievous glint flickering in his eyes as he walked over to Eren, standing almost right behind the taller lycan. He was careful to not make physical contact, but he figured his mouth was still close enough to the lycan's ear. “What are you saying Eren?” He murmured. “You gonna put out at the end of the night?” He murmured, his voice smouldering. 

He watched Eren tense for a second before the other turned around, trapped between the counter and Levi. “It depends.” He shrugged, his eyes darker than Levi had seen before. It was kind of hot. 

Levi's eyes flickered down Eren's face for a moment, pausing on his lips before he took a step back and cleared his throat quickly. “Where's Mikasa?” He murmured, shuffling away slowly. 

Eren sighed and turned back around, going back to preparing food. “She has a shift.” He explained, silently. 

Levi nodded in understanding. “I would help you with the food,” He started, scowling slightly. “But I absolutely suck at cooking.” 

“Then you're kinda lucky to have me.” Eren shot back with a grin before returning back to the said job. 

“I'm sorry I didn't meet you at the wall.” Levi told him sadly. “I remembered and I meant to, but we returned from the mission and I was exhausted. And then there's training to do-” 

“You don't have to explain yourself.” Eren cut him off. “I told you: I know what I'm in for. You're an important person, Levi, and there is nothing I can do to change that.” Levi kind of wished Eren would be able to. He would love to spend a day just lying on the bed, tucked under the covers and then spend the night watching the stars from a tall building.

“Can I ask you something?” Levi spoke up instead as he leaned on the kitchen table and observed the wolf lying on the floor on the other side of the room. 

“Sure.” 

“Your friend. Marco, is it?” Levi asked, to which he received a questioning look and a nod. “He has a mate. A lycan.” 

Eren visibly tensed for a moment. “Why do you care?” He asked. 

“He smelt familiar.” Levi told him honestly. 

Eren nodded. “Yeah. He does.” He agreed. “And it works perfectly.” His voice remained firm and cold. 

“You don't sound too happy about it.” Levi pointed out cleverly. 

“Jean is his mate.” Eren answered him. “That's why we stopped fooling around in the first place. Their Etch kicked in and neither of them fought it.” 

“Weren't you...” Levi hesitated before finishing the sentence. 

“Jealous?” Eren finished for him. “I was for a while. But it works. Marco is head over heels in love with him, and even though Jean had a hard time accepting that his mate was a vampire, he had always liked Marco. We all kind of got along alright during training.” 

“I see.” 

“Can I ask you a question?” Eren asked instead and Levi straightened as he smelled the delicious smell of meat in the air. The wolf seemed to notice it too since she was now sitting by Eren's feet, watching him closely. 

“Sure.” 

“The girl you were with tonight.” Eren spoke up and Levi heard the silent question in there. 

“Petra. She's a part of my squad.” Levi told him. “She's a close friend.” 

Eren nodded slowly, biting his lip before a question flew out of his mouth. “How close?” 

Levi smiled lightly and looked to the ground. “Very close. We used to date.” He admitted to which Eren gave him a short look. But Levi saw the hidden jealousy in the gaze. “We broke up when her Etch kicked in a few months back.” 

“And were you?” Eren asked him. He turned and began walking over to the table, placing two plates next to each other before he turned back to the stove and picked up the remains to give over to the wolf pup. Levi sat down at his seat before Eren took a seat next to him. 

“Was I what? Jealous?” Levi made sure to which Eren nodded in reply. “No.” Levi told him honestly. “She always deserved somebody better than me.” He murmured. 

“You're insecure.” Eren pointed out boldly, to which Levi looked up at him sharply. “You have other issues too. From what I hear, you're a clean freak and I guess it's true since I don't see a speck of dirt on you even after a fight and you spent the whole way here cleaning your blades.” Eren spoke with a shrug, digging into his own food. He swallowed before he continued. “You also have an issue with physical contact.” 

“Why would I?” Levi shot back, impatient and slightly annoyed at how all-knowing Eren was acting. If it was anybody else speaking to him this way, they wouldn't live to see another day. As his mate, Eren was supposed to see the good and the bad and accept it all. Besides, Levi would never dare to hurt Eren intentionally. He knew better than that. 

Eren paused and brought his hand forward, hovering it over Levi's for a second before he brought it down and touched the vampire's hand, making Levi flinch involuntarily. “I don't know.” Eren admitted, but his point was clearly made. “I wish you'd tell me. And don't deny it. It's obvious, Levi.” He paused again, chewing. “You have a reputation. You did sleep around quite a lot, so maybe it's just me, then.” 

“No, I just,” Levi rushed out quickly but then froze, not sure what to say. “It's not you, Eren.” He sighed, cutting the meat on his plate. “I told you: I'm fucked up. I have some fucking issues, okay.” He huffed, not making eye contact. 

Eren sighed, becoming silent for a while. “You know you can trust me, right?” He whispered, finally. 

Levi sighed. “I know.” He admitted. Eren was his mate; of course he could trust him. “It's just difficult.” And Eren nodded because he understood. When he was younger, it had been hard admitting to people that his mother had died. It was a constant reminder. It took different people different amount of time to recover after traumatic events. 

Having finished the food, Eren took their plates to the sink and Levi followed behind. “I can't stay.” He murmured which made Eren turn to look at him. “I can't stay the night.” Eren leaned back against the counter. “I have training to lead in an hour.” 

Eren smiled softly. “It's fine.” He reassured. “I don't want to stand between you and your job.” But unknowingly, he already was and Levi was completely troubled by that simple thing. 

“Thank you, Eren.” Levi told him. “For tonight.” He added and his hand twitched but remained in place. 

Eren nodded, a small smile on his face as he looked down, his gaze focusing on Levi's 3D manoeuvring gear. “How does it work?” He questioned, hesitantly touching the metal box. 

Levi smiled lightly as an idea popped into his head. “One day, I'll show you.” He told him and Eren's eyes widened at the words. 

“That's illegal.” He quickly pointed out, but there was a glimmer of excitement in his orbs which Levi instantly spotted. 

Levi shrugged without a care. “I will.” He repeated. His hand twitched again and he inhaled as he reached forward this time, his fingers entangling with Eren's. He gave Eren's warm hand a quick squeeze as he murmured, “I promise.”

He let go of Eren's hand and took a step back, a small smile on his face. He pet the energetic wolf pup once more before he made it to the door, giving Eren one more warm smile before he left. 

~~*~~*~~

He promised Eren he would show him how 3DMG worked, and as Levi stood there out in the open field with his arms crossed and a deepening scowl on his face, he wondered how the hell he was going to pull it off. 

The soldiers before him were currently doing target practice, because even though shooting a gun wasn't the biggest part of the expeditions, it was large enough that a missed shot could mean somebody getting injured. He hummed to himself as they shot and he watched, almost all shots hitting their targets perfectly. They weren't a bad bunch. Until it came to hand-to-hand combat.

Levi had spent the morning looking over their profiles, and it was worth it to see horror spread over a soldier's face once Levi had yelled out their name. “Springer! Blouse! Stop messing around!” He had yelled, watching as they froze in their movements. “I have no idea how the hell you passed training but I will not see any of that here!” 

New soldiers continued training for the next few months after their graduation, just to make sure they remained in shape and always ready. The sun was just beginning to rise and since they were young, Levi knew that training would finish soon. 

While the soldiers went through the basic agility and endurance set, Levi remained planning on how to pull this off. He wanted to make it work with Eren, obviously, and he was (dare he say it) partly looking forward to having some good time for once, and it was clear that Eren would do that for him. He didn't, however, want to take it too far. He wasn't a fan of blood-bonding, and it was not happening anytime soon. 

“Levi!” He turned, raising his eyebrow at Mike approaching him with a friendly smile. He gave Mike an uninterested glance before turning back to the soldiers. “What's with the permanent frown?” Mike spoke as he stopped next to Levi.

“Every time you show up, I'm summoned to see Erwin, so forgive me if I don't seem too happy to see you.” Levi pointed out to which Mike chuckled and brought his hand up to order his hair into a neat parting again. 

“Well, then, you're about to hate me.” 

“I figured.” Levi murmured. “What is it this time?” 

“Details about the breach last night.” 

Levi hummed, partly interested. “Right.” He replied. “I'll be there after the training.” 

“Erwin said to-” 

“I spent most of the night learning all of their damn names; there is no way I've done that for nothing. I'll be there in an hour.” Levi cut him off quickly, whistling loudly and catching the soldiers' attention. “Two laps around the field. Go!” Levi chuckled. “Reminds me of the days in training.” 

Mike chuckled along to his statement. “It was amusing.” He agreed. “I remember how annoyed Dita always got at you. Keith Shadis would be complementing you every time you breathed.” 

“You were simply jealous.” Levi pointed out with a smirk. 

“Maybe.” Mike hummed. “Just remember that I did, in fact, rank right behind you.” He reminded. 

“And times haven't changed.” Levi shot back again. 

“We'll just have to see one of those days, won't we?” Mike grinned at him before giving him a nod and then turning to walk away, probably to notify Erwin. 

Levi was in training at the same time as Mike and Hanji. Erwin had been three years ahead of them. There were others too, like Dita Ness or Luke Siss whom had been training with them and Levi regarded them closer than everybody else. Then again, he did hate everybody else most of the time. 

“Bodt! Less talking, more running!” 

~~*~~*~~

“Come in.” 

Levi opened the door and walked in, closing it behind him before he gave Erwin a mocking salute. “Present.” 

Erwin narrowed his eyes but clearly recognized Levi's teasing tone since he said nothing about it. “You've really kept me waiting this time, huh, Levi?”

Levi shrugged slightly, pouring himself a drink before taking a seat opposite of him. “A lot of people seem to enjoy my presence.” He pointed out. 

“Surprisingly.” Erwin shot back.

Levi smirked at the comment. “There we go. You're always so tense, Erwin. Relax.” He sipped on his drink, leaning back in the chair. 

“Perhaps that's your problem, Levi.” Erwin spoke, returning to sorting through his papers. “You've become too relaxed.” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Levi snapped in return. “Are you saying I don't do my job?”

Erwin paused and glanced up at him. “I'm saying you used to care more about your job.” He replied simply. “Going after the Rogues yesterday was a stupid move.” 

“Letting Nile fucking Dawk send out wolves after the Rogues was a stupid fucking move.” Levi shot back. “I caught up with them within minutes whereas the wolves had been chasing them all around the district.” He leaned back in his chair. “If we had sent out our best soldiers then-” 

“A breach is none of our concern.” Erwin cut him off. “We can help. But in reality, The Garrison soldiers are expected to act correctly. We are not required, by law, to act. We all have our jobs to do.” 

“Are you saying that the death of innocent humans in none of our concern?” 

“Of course not.” Erwin replied firmly. “Every life is of the same worth. Whether it's mine, yours or a human farmer.” He commented. “But going against very dangerous Rogues by yourself was a mistake.” 

“Aw,” Levi murmured. “Don't tell me you've suddenly developed a heart, Erwin.” 

This time, Erwin did roll his eyes at Levi's teasing. “I'm saying you were not authorised to leave without back-up. Did you consider why I did not allow Hanji to leave?” Levi had thought about it, but only simple answers came to his mind. “Those Rogues were something we weren't ready for.” Erwin admitted. 

“So we left stupid dogs to do the difficult task.” Levi commented. 

“Perhaps.” Erwin admitted. “But let me acquaint you with the numbers. Eleven lycans, nine vampires and twelve humans are dead just because a trio of Rogues snuck through the walls. It might not seem like much, but we still haven't found them. We lost them underground. The numbers will continue to rise.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

“Why do you think I'm telling you this?” 

“Something isn't right.” 

“You're right.” Erwin said. “They didn't act like Rogues. They hardly fought back, unless attacked and without an escape. They possessed enough intelligence to hide in the one place our gear would not be able to help us. But they definitely came from the other side of the wall.” 

“So, what? Is this some kind of an evolution crap?” 

“I'm not sure.” Erwin admitted. “But I want you to stop putting yourself in immediate danger. The underground is still being patrolled and I want you nowhere near it. The time to act will come, Levi.” 

“So I'm supposed to sit on my ass and do nothing?” Levi hissed. 

“Just until tomorrow night.” Erwin told him. 

“Why tomorrow night?” 

“Two of the Rogues are lycans, after all. Tomorrow is the full moon. If there is one chance that we have of catching them off guard, it's tomorrow.” 

“Tomorrow is the-” Levi froze before the rest of the sentence could make it out of his mouth. He quickly finished his drink and excused himself, with Erwin telling him that there was no more they needed to speak of anyway. 

He walked down the hallway, fists clenching as understanding hit him. Tomorrow, his world might end. 

Tomorrow, Eren would spend the full moon outside the walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know, okay. It's a bit more modern than canon verse. Like, I guess there is some sort of electricity. But I'm not even gonna try to sort out the details of it all, so just bear with me. Bottom line is; it's slightly more modern! I think. There are no computers, or cars, or fighter planes or microwaveable popcorn: you know, some of the coolest inventions.  
> Updates will probably slow down. I've tried to post as quickly as I could the last week or two-ish because tomorrow, I start my last year of school. I am not prepared and I feel like crying, because the idea of getting up at 7AM for another year makes me feel sick.  
> Thank you for all the amazing comments and the kudos. The support of this story has been amazing. Also, can I direct your attention to this great piece of [art of Eren](http://hajsneko.deviantart.com/art/Werewolf-Eren-Jaeger-479859972?ga_submit_new=10%253A1409683613) in his wolf form. Art is always welcome! I wish I could draw...  
> Anything related to the story is on Tumblr under the tag fic: etch.  
> Thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He never bothered to see it, but there was a certain beauty in tragedy; at least it brought everyone together, even if it was for mere minutes.

The problem with paper work was: it never ended. As the second (or perhaps third) in command, Levi found himself busy with paper work most of the time. When he wasn't training, paying a visit to the wall or sleeping, he was probably doing paper work.

Most of it was just a simple 'read and sign' passed down from Erwin who had worked out all the details. Levi couldn't imagine how Erwin managed to do everything; after all, he was hardly keeping up with his own paper work and he wasn't even the damn Commander. Then again, Erwin didn't have a mate to think about.

If it wasn't schedule times which had to be confirmed, it was other guarding duty or perhaps even training exercises to be approved. There was always some other cases too, like murder or thievery or kidnapping. In a world where humans weren't at the top of the chain, problems arose.

He had finished training the youngest recruits in the morning, where the meeting with Erwin followed. Ever since then, Levi found himself unable to fully focus on anything for more than a few seconds. The full moon was tomorrow, and it would be the first night Eren would be forced to spend outside of the walls. There was a 30% chance that on his first full moon out there, he might not come back unaffected.

And honestly, Levi couldn't say that he loved the kid. Eren was a good person and Levi enjoyed his presence quite a lot and yeah, Eren did make his heart skip a few beats, but that was only because they were mates. That was mostly the reason he was worried. Perhaps it was slightly selfish, but if Eren were to turn Rogue, he would be as good as dead. And one of the pair dying never ended well when it came to the Etch.

But, of course, he was being harsh. He wasn't thinking simply about himself. He thought about Eren's friends; Mikasa, whom Eren had saved through giving her the gift of lycanthropy. There was also the little blond kid Eren spoke constantly about (Armin?) who seemed to be close to him. There was Eren's father, but Levi had concluded that the father wasn't much of a figure for Eren, either way. There was that, dare he say it, adorable wolf pup who awaited Eren's return every day. And, of course there was Levi. They were all people who would miss Eren if anything happened.

He had grown to enjoy the lycan's presence, which is what pushed him towards acting sooner. He had made sure to have the night free and then checked Eren's schedule thrice to make sure he was free as well. He had a promise to keep after all, and this could be the last night he would have a chance to do so.

Therefore, once twilight set in, he left his room in a hurry, heading for the stables. He had avoided walking down the obvious hallways in case Hanji were to catch him, since he knew he wouldn't be able to keep a secret from her. He had five hours before he was due back for training with his squad.

Strapping all the equipment onto his mare, he got up and immediately set out towards Shiganshina District. He only partly remembered the way, and hoped that his instinct was leading him correctly. When he stopped in front of a familiar door and felt a jolt in his chest, he knew he had arrived at the right place.

Knocking on the door, he waited, listening to the little barks Midnight was giving off at the unexpected visitor before the door opened and Levi scowled.

Mikasa's eyes narrowed at him, giving him a quick look over before she slammed the door without saying anything. Levi rolled his eyes, groaning. “That's just childish!”

“Fuck off!” She yelled from behind the door and Levi smirked as he heard another pair of footsteps and a familiar voice which made his stomach stir in a nervous flurry.

The door opened and Eren's face popped up, looking apologetic and slightly irritated. “Sorry about that.” He murmured, stepping out and closing the door behind him, his taller body towering over Levi. “I wasn't expecting you.” He admitted.

Levi raised an eyebrow teasingly. “If you don't want me here,” He started, taking a step back teasingly but he didn't have a chance to move further away before Eren's hand shot forward, grabbing his jacket quickly.

“Don't go.”

Levi almost felt a genuine smile lighting up on his face and quickly cleared his throat before that could happen. “I made you a promise.” He told Eren, his lips quirking up slightly. “You ready to go?”

Eren's eyes widened while he stared at Levi. “Now?” He whispered frantically.

“Well, we could go next year if that suits y-” Eren laughed and grabbed his sleeve, pulling them both forward and down the small stairs to Levi's horse. Levi felt a small smile pull at his lips at the loud, heart-warming laugh Eren had given him.

Walking ahead, Levi checked the bags tied to his horse again, making sure everything was secure before he got up on it, looking down to Eren. “Ride behind or run beside. Your choice?”

Eren's lips quirked up with a smirk at that as he grabbed onto the saddle and heaved himself up onto the large mare, right behind Levi. Levi froze for a second, feeling Eren's chest up pressed up against his back; it brought back a viscous flashback which Levi quickly got rid of from his mind.

“Are you sure this is fine?” Eren whispered, his hot breath fanning Levi's neck and the latter gulped, nodding slightly. He had to get over his fucking issues. “Can I-?” Eren trailed off and there was a pause before Levi felt hands at his waist, gripping his jacket lightly. He nodded once to tell Eren it was fine, although inside, his skin was quickly heating up; at both the direct contact with his mate, and the fear of the close contact with another person.

Levi cleared his throat. “Right.” He murmured, pulling the mare into a trot. “We don't have much time.” He admitted with a frown. At the words, he instantly pushed the horse into an almost gallop, leading them towards the place he had picked out before. “And even the basics of 3DMG are fucking hard.”

“I'm sure I can handle it.”

~~*~~*~~

Eren struggled with getting the strap around his thigh. Somewhere in the process, the other strap had completely wrapped around his other leg which currently made him jump from spot to spot with the goal of pulling the first strap further down. “I almost-” His leg had twisted slightly, and with a surprised yell, he was falling right to the ground face first.

Leaning back on a nearby tree with his arms crossed, Levi snorted and grinned. “I can see you're handling it well.” He stated, referring back to Eren's previous statement.

Eren looked up from the ground, spluttering at the leave getting into his mouth. “Help?”

Levi chuckled and walked forward, helping him up and frowning at the dirt already finding its way to his clothes. He had taken them to woods that were close but not as close as to draw attention to them. What they were doing was, after all, illegal.

He attached the scabbard to the thigh correctly, for now leaving off any additional straps which held the actual blades. He crouched down and began on working to fix the belts at Eren's legs all the while Eren watched all the precise movements of Levi's fingers.

When Levi got up, the belts at Eren's legs looked pretty much the same as they currently looked on Levi's. Levi attached the operating device before attaching the body and the cylinders, leaving out the blades in case Eren hurt himself, which judging from the past few minutes, was very possible.

“Okay.” Levi stepped back, holding both of the hand grips. “I'm gonna get you a mere foot or two off the ground so that we can work on your balance. If you can't balance yourself, I'm afraid we don't be able to go any further with this.” Eren nodded at the instruction. Levi used the hand grips to shoot out the hooks and then turned to Eren. “Get ready.”

Using one of the buttons, he propelled Eren's body into the air slightly before immediately putting the hand grip back in its place and firmly placing his hands on Eren's hips, keeping him balanced. “Fun?” Levi teased, watching as Eren genuinely grinned even though he was a foot away from the ground. “Now, I'm gonna let go. Just keep your weight balanced between your whole body.”

He stepped away from Eren and that was perhaps why two minutes later, he found himself bandaging Eren's head while the lycan murmured that he 'did keep balance' or 'equipment sucks' or 'it's rigged!' Clearly, that didn't happen.

Levi smiled as he did. This was going to be a long ass night.

~~*~~*~~

Landing on a branch quickly, he tensed and watched Eren carefully, every muscle in his body ready to intervene if Eren were to make a dangerous move. Eren swung by him, grinning and laughing and whooping as he did. Levi watched and prepared for failure when Eren had to swap targets, but became perhaps slightly impressed when Eren did so with just a small stumble in his balance.

Eren hooked onto a tree and stopped altogether, using his legs to support his body against the tree as he had seen Levi do numerous times. “How does that feel?” Levi exclaimed to him, watching as the lycan's face lit up.

“It's amazing!” Eren exclaimed, his bright eyes wide with excitement. “Why the hell do you even bother walking or riding when you can do this?” Eren laughed again, attaching the hooks to a nearby tree before the gas propelled him into the air.

It took them four hours to get Eren to a decent state of movement with the 3DMG and Levi was suddenly conscious of the time, as it slowly neared midnight. As much as he didn't like to admit it, behind the anxiousness, he was having fun.

He landed on the ground and watched as Eren followed, clearly not sure about landings since he toppled over himself twice, got up, stumbled again and then tripped once more, ending up right on his bottom and staring up at Levi innocently, a grin about to spread out across his face. Gods, he was adorable.

“Graceful as always.” Levi commented before the smile on his face slowly began fading. “We have to get going. I have training soon.” He pointed out.

Eren gave him a nod and there began another torturous amount of time to remove the gear. After fighting with it, Levi ended up laughing before helping Eren and then packing it all away the way he first did. He got on the horse and Eren followed right behind, hands placed firmly in the same place as before. Levi was slowly starting to get used to Eren's touch. It made his body feel warm all around and send a shiver down his spine; it was thrilling.

The ride back was much colder and Levi couldn't help but notice the little details, like Eren shuffling slightly closer to him, or Eren's forehead falling on Levi's shoulder somewhere during the journey. As a creature that was used to the night, the cold didn't bother Levi.

Stopping in front of Eren's house, the mare huffed in impatience and Levi regarded the time, frowning as he realised he would be slightly late. He nudged Eren with his elbow, waking him up from the short nap he took along the way. Levi was surprised he didn't fall off half way.

“I'll try to see you tomorrow.” Levi told him while Eren yawned, his hands unwrapping from Levi to stretch. “Before...everything.” He trailed off softly.

“Thanks.” Eren murmured, his arms wrapping around Levi from the back again. Levi tensed for a moment before he realised his body was slowly starting to get used to Eren's touch. “And thank you for today. I know it was risky.”

“I made you a promise, after all.” Levi pointed out.

He could almost feel Eren smile. “I like it when you keep your promises.” He murmured and then Levi felt the lycan's lips upon his cheek. It was a short, quick peck but it left Levi's skin feeling hot as Eren dismounted the horse and turned to look at Levi, a grin pulling at his lips. “Goodnight.”

Levi watched Eren climb the stairs before he opened the door and disappeared inside. Levi shook his head slightly, stroking the impatient mare's head fondly. “Damn brat.”

~~*~~*~~

Training had completely tore him apart the previous day so when Levi woke up and spotted the sun high up in the sky, he wasn't surprised he had slept so long. He should have, perhaps, asked somebody to wake him up at a more precise time. It was going to be a busy day after all.

After getting some food, he found out that there was still no sign of the Rogues being found but they hoped to make a move tonight. That would, however, be rather difficult.

Since it was a full moon, the lycans would be shoved out once the sun set. This left the vampires to do all the work. They were to ones to guard the walls, to patrol the streets, take care of younger (less violent) lycans changing and keep barracks in order. It didn't matter what rank you were, you were to get involved. Therefore, once every month Levi was stuck standing on the wall impatiently.

Now, in addition, they would have to send out more soldiers into the city to look for the Rogues that were still missing. The good thing was, since it was the full moon, many of the Rogue lycans didn't attempt to scale the wall since they were more insane than usual.

“Levi!” He looked up at the sound of his name being called, narrowing his eyes as Hanji sat opposite of him. He suspected Mike wasn't far away either. “How you doing?” She asked him, and a flicker of concern lit up her eyes.

“I'm fine.” He replied simply, his eyebrows furrowing at the strange question.

“Are you sure?”

“Since when did you turn into my therapist?”

“I've always been it.” She replied with a grin, crossing her arms over the table and leaning forward slightly. “You're not worried, are you?”

“Of course I'm worried.” He snapped in return, letting the fork drop from his hand as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I'd be stupid if I wasn't.”

“He's going to be fine.” Hanji assured.

“I know.” Levi tried. “But it doesn't change the fact that the numbers are against him.” He pointed out, frowning. He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. “Are we on the wall?”

“Yup.” Hanji chirped, giving him a small smile. “You, me and Mike. Together forever.”

“I'm not in a mood for a threesome.” Levi commented, standing up and picking up his tray.

“Too bad. I've never heard you deny that kind of an offer.” Hanji giggled. “I think you would have loved it. You look like a kinky typ-” He cut her off with an annoyed huff and a roll of his eyes.

He paused. “I need you to do something for me.” He told her.

“I don't like the way you said that.” Hanji commented.

He gave her a smirk. “Please?” Her eyes widened slightly and she pursed her lips, nodding once. “I need you to get me a place as one of the sniffers.” Sniffers was what they unofficially called the vampires which attended to the lycans after they came back from outside the walls. Vampires could instantly sniff out the difference in blood so they were let into a room with a lycan and had to report whether the person was infected.

“For Eren?”

“I just need to know he's okay.” Levi commented, frowning as he realised how soft he was getting.

“They won't let you in alone. You're his mate.” Hanji pointed out. “You could lie for him.” She added although she knew Levi would never do that. Turning Rogue was much more dangerous than risking their relationship.

“I don't care. I'll go with twenty others, if I have to. I just need to know.”

Hanji nodded slowly. “I'll try.” She told him. “No promises, though.”

He nodded, gave her a quick, half smile and then walked away. They would have to report at the wall soon, anyway. And he told Eren he would try to see him beforehand.

Leaving the headquarters, he managed to avoid any distractions. However, once he got into town, he quickly found that there was some sort of a panic going on. Humans were rushing there and back and as Levi got off him horse, he pushed through the crowd and to the centre of the panic.

There, in the middle of a crowd, laid a body. With her throat ripped open, the child was an innocent target, easy to take on. He pushed through and crouched by the body, checking the pulse. But there was none, and he wasn't surprised. She was surrounded by blood and the smell made him feel sick somehow, even though it was the exact smell he took on a few times a day.

He stood up, his body tensing as he drew his blade. He looked around the crowd quickly, his eyes scanning over any possible suspects. The wind blew in the daylight and he brought his other hand up to keep his hood on his head and protect from the sunlight.

He turned around, his eyes narrowing at a pair of humans. “Do we have any witnesses?” He hissed.

Their eyes widened as they stared at him. They both shook their heads quickly. “It happened so fast.” One of them uttered. Levi saw another vampire and lycan arrive at the scene, gathering witnesses and evidence. This would probably end up being another case he signed later while he sat in his desk.

But he couldn't help feel hot, a crawling feeling making his skin shiver; almost as if he was being watched. He looked over the group of people surrounding the scene, scanning over each carefully.

It was movement that caught his attention. He paused, narrowing his eyes against the sun at the figure standing further away on a rooftop. From what he could see, they had a small-looking body with a black hood pulled over their head. He found the attire familiar.

His eyes widened as he reached a conclusion. The Rogue vampire that was with the two lycans!

He shoved through the crowd quickly, heading in that direction. He growled curses at the nearby humans, murmuring to himself as he managed to shove through the many bodies in his way.

But when he looked upon the same roof, the figure was gone, together with any closure to the case. He turned back around with a huff, stashing his blade away and running his fingers through his hair. He could already tell this was going to be a long day.

~~*~~*~~

Once they got the situation under control, Levi was annoyed to find how much time has passed. Realising that all the lycans would now be heading to the wall, he growled in annoyance, hoping that he would make it in time.

However, even when he did make it to the wall, he was told he wasn't able to see any lycans right now. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” He growled towards the other vampire, his own teeth sharpening slightly just at the sight of the familiar face.

“Really, Levi, I'm all up for breaking some rules, but I can't let you through.” Hitch eyed him carefully, a teasing smirk rising up on her lips. “Since when do you get so worked up about such little things anyway?”

He growled; really, authentically growled. There was an anger boiling up quickly because he had told Eren he would come see him, and it wasn't just that; he wanted to see Eren because he wasn't sure what the coming night may bring. There was also a sudden need inside, the same need which answered to the simple kiss Eren had placed on his cheek the night before; that need drove him forward, desiring to know what those lips would taste like upon Levi's own.

Seeing he wouldn't be able to get through the damn, stubborn vampire, he turned on his heel and walked away. There was no other way to get in there.

He fucking despised Hitch. She was a part of the Military Police. Like The Survey Corps and The Garrison, the Military Police was also a regiment but it had no commander to lead it, unlike the other two. The Military Police answered straight to the King, and they acted as the King's personal bodyguards. They were a small branch made up of vampires. Soldiers were hand picked by Lord Balto, or bought their way in since it was the safest they would ever be. The Military Police soldiers were never found near a battle. They were cowards.

Seeing the sun lowering in the sky, he could do nothing but go up to his post at the wall and let the night commence.

Standing above everything, he couldn't help but impatiently watch the sun lowering further and further. Hanji stood next to him, but she said nothing. He wanted the night to be over. He wanted to see Eren again.

It was then he realised how bad he actually was. The crave to see Eren had been getting worse and worse as the day dragged on and he only hoped it was to do with the full moon being tonight, not his actual affection for Eren getting the best of him.

“I managed to do it. You and Mike are gonna join the sniffers afterwards.” Hanji announced, breaking the silence.

“Thank you.” He told her genuinely.

“I'm sorry.” She told him. “I'm sorry you have to go through this. I can only imagine how hard it must be.”

Levi paused, frowning slightly. “One wrong move.” He told her. “Eren makes one wrong move, or doesn't think about one little detail and he's done. And if he's done, I'm done.” He still didn't think of this as the love of his life, but he was quite sure that if Eren were to die, he wouldn't be able to live. The guilt would kill him the most.

“Don't bullshit me about numbers.” Hanji snapped at him. “All those numbers refer to the stupid, weak lycans. Eren is talented and brave.”

“And it's that bravery that will drive him towards his death.”

“What are you saying?” Hanji asked him curiously.

Levi remembered Eren jumping in for Marco, attacking the Rogue even though he himself wasn't fully prepared. “He's so brave he forgets about reason.” He commented.

“Reminds me of somebody.” Hanji replied, looking at Levi with a knowing glint in her eyes. “Gods, you really are two peas in a pod.”

“I actually brush my hair from time to time.” Levi sneered back, referring to Eren's messy mop of hair. “I probably have a bigger dick, too.”

“So does that mean you'll top or-”

He shoved at her shoulder, rolling his eyes as she laughed, the teasing grin remaining on her lips. Meanwhile, the sun had continued to set and now that Levi looked ahead again, he tensed, seeing how close it was. Any minute now.

“I would ask you the same, since hell knows what kind of kinky shit you and Mike get up to,” Levi commented and Hanji grinned again. “But I really don't feel like having nightmares, so keep those details to yourself.”

A large bell sounded in the distance and Levi stepped forward, his breath hitching as he looked over the edge of the wall. The gates opened fully and figures spilled out, already in their wolf forms. He watched the different colours carefully, but they all looked familiar from this height and there was no way he would be able to recognise Eren's dark fur anyway.

His fists clenched, silently hoping Eren knew what he was doing. They were trained for this, after all.

“Who does Erwin have looking out for the Rogues?” He asked Hanji, trying to forget that Eren was down there, running amongst other wolves. The Rogues from all sides were already starting to approach, and what started off as a huge group was now thinning out into little packs and going separate ways.

“All the newest recruits are on the wall. The more experienced members are looking for the Rogues.” Hanji explained. “The murder in Trost district today. It was a vampire, right?”

“The little girl's neck was ripped apart.” Levi pointed out. “I think it's safe to say so.”

“And you thought it was the Rogue?”

“Yeah.” Levi admitted. “I thought I saw her. But that's no real evidence. And we should have expected it anyway. How long can they go without food down there after all?” He narrowed his eyes, watching as some lycans approached the wolves in the distance while others scurried for a hiding spot and disappeared in the shrubbery.

“That's reasonable.” Hanji commented. “Oh! I forgot to tell you!” She exclaimed suddenly, clapping her hands in excitement. “Erwin approved for more Rogues to be caught and brought in for experiments.” She told him, her eyes shining with excitement. As a researcher, Hanji loved to perform such experiments. Most of the test subjects ended up dead, so she was constantly in need of new ones.

“That's great.” He commented blankly.

“You don't sound too happy.” She pointed out.

“Of course not.” He replied. “That means more work for me.” He rolled his eyes. Whenever Hanji was doing her experiments, he was stuck either doing the paper work for it all or chaperoning the said experiments to make sure no danger came from it.

_It's eyes saw him. Not animal eyes. Not eyes glowing with hunger, not glowing with frustration- no. It's eyes were a glare that did not bare instinct: but hatred, misery and a suffering no being of this earth should ever feel. Great paws, jagged with callouses, jutting with claws designed for ripping flesh from bone; awful teeth drooling with filthy saliva; ears flicking for any sound._

He stumbled, Hanji's hands coming up to grab his shoulders and steady him. “Levi? Are you alright?” She asked him quickly, her worried eyes set on him.

He breathed hard, the realistic image still revolving around his head, making him wince at the realness of the scene before his eyes. It felt so real. It felt as if he was looking upon the wolf himself. “Fine.” He muttered, blinking a few times and straightening again.

“What the hell was that?” Hanji asked quickly.

“I-” He started, but quickly paused before frowning. “Nothing. Guess I'm just tired.” He decided, stepping away from her and looking out into the horizon again. He could hardly see any wolves now, and there was something inside him pulling at his chest, telling him that something was wrong and bad and not right and he couldn't help any of it and it was excruciating.

For a moment, he felt as if the image wasn't one that he had ever seen. It seemed like something Eren could have seen right this very moment but that was impossible. He had never heard of anything like it before.

Hanji watched him carefully for a moment before an alarm was sounded, red flags waving in the distance. But there were enough vampires to fight the Rogue off, and it was quite a distance away, so neither of them moved.

Mike joined them at some point, bringing snacks with him. But Levi couldn't bring himself to eat. That vivid image still remained in his head, playing on repeat and making him cringe every time.

When a vampire climbed over the edge, Levi was the first to act. He was too quick, not even letting the vampire stand fully before he delivered a kick to his chest, making the Rogue stumble back and fall right back down from where he came from.

_Dark mixed with light, one on offence, one on defence, clearly. There were ferocious growls, low whimpers and quick displays of curved, sharp teeth as they collided. The smaller wolf wouldn't survive this. His light brown fur was already stained with red. His life would be short._

He stumbled again, his head spinning but he was lucky enough to fall back, or else he would have toppled his own body right over the edge of the wall. “Levi!” Hanji was beside him, her thin fingers grabbing at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?” She snapped, helping him stand up.

“Something is wrong.” He breathed out, realising he would have to tell her. It was dangerous for him to space out like that while they were on the wall. “I can see it, Hanji. I keep seeing it.” He murmured, turning to look at her.

She furrowed her eyebrows, “Seeing what?”

“Wolves. Lycans. Outside of the walls.”

She paused, looking back at Mike. “Yeah, we all can.” She pointed to the horizon outside of the walls.

He grabbed her then, his fists clenching around her shirt and Mike stepped forward, a hiss on his lips. “I can see it as if I'm looking through my own eyes.” Levi whispered, realising how insane he sounded. That realisation made him step back and he shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. He was going insane.

“Levi, maybe you should go lie down and-”

“Something is wrong.” He muttered, pacing back and forth, the images flashing in his mind as if they were before him. “Something is wrong. Something is wrong. Hanji, something is wrong.” He repeated again, pausing in front of her and shaking her, trying to get some sense into his friend. Mike remained beside, tense and ready to intervene if he felt Hanji in distress. 

Hanji exchanged a brief look with Mike, before turning back to Levi, her eyes soft and worried. “Sweetie, maybe you ought to-” 

He pulled away from her, cringing as the memories returned. “I'm not fucking crazy.” He growled, his teeth sharpening down into display in a threatening manner. This was when Mike stepped forward, his own teeth lengthening as his body shielded Hanji. His fists clenched and his lip twitched, almost a challenge that Levi was sure he didn't want to take on. 

He took a step back while Hanji brought her hand up to Mike's shoulder. “It's okay.” She whispered and Mike sighed, nodding before making his teeth return to normal and retreating. “Tell me what's happening.” Hanji spoke to Levi. 

“I see things. They're flashes. They're almost as if I'm looking through somebody else's eyes, but it's impossible, Hanji.” His fingers ran through his hair in frustration. “We never fucking learned about this!” 

He was about to burst again, saying how this whole thing was bullshit when more flashes dashed across his mind, making him cry out with the splitting pain in his head as his knees buckled under him. 

_After the initial clash, the wolf backed away, dropping low to the ground, snarling viscously before they began to circle one another. This fight was different. The savage, feral wolf pounced, throwing the other to it's back, going for the neck. The pain hit like a wave. Blood ran while he tried to throw the heavier wolf off. Teeth sank into the creature's paw, more blood on the fresh grass. The beast howled in pain and it was enough. Teeth sank into the nape of it's neck, and it became quiet._

~~*~~*~~

His eyes snapped open as he shot up, tensing and breathing hard as he quickly looked around. He was in a small room, a pair of large eyes staring at him from behind glasses. “Relax. You passed out.” Hanji murmured, passing him a glass with the exact thing he needed right now. He swallowed it down quickly, feeling as the liquid spilled down his throat and soothed it. 

He swallowed, coughing harshly as he looked up at her again. “What?” 

“I have no idea what the hell happened, but you passed out.” Hanji explained. “I'm worried about you, Levi.” She admitted. 

“What time is it?” He asked her quickly in return. 

She sighed, frowning before she looked to her watch. “It's 4:59AM.” 

He's been out of it for hours! He quickly got up, grabbing his uniform jacket and shoes before quickly dressing. “Levi! You passed out! Something is wrong! You need to rest and-” 

“Sunrise is at 5:22AM.” He interrupted her. “I need to be down there, and now.” He spoke harshly, acting quickly so that he could find the answers he sought. What he saw tonight was nowhere near normal, and he couldn't wait to question Eren about it.

Hanji sighed, realising he was too stubborn to listen to good advice. “Fine.” She huffed, standing up. “Let's go then.” It was only when he tried to take a few steps that he realised his legs still felt weak and Hanji was immediately by his side, wrapping an arm around his waist. 

“I'm surprised Mike left you alone with me.” Levi commented. 

“You don't think I can kick your ass?” 

“I know you can't kick my ass.” Levi stated. “It's just a matter of whether I want my ass kicked. And the answer right now is yes.” 

“That was a really shit apology.” She commented. 

“Yeah, well, I never claimed I was good at apologies.” 

The stairs seemed to drag on and all Levi really wanted was to get to the bottom already. Once the sun made the first appearance in the sky, the gates would be open and the lycans would be let back in. He could hear the howls in the distance, the very same howls which might never be heard again. If lycans were found infected, they were given three days for their condition to change before they were executed. 

Levi heard the heavy, metallic sound of the gates just as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Vampires were covering every square metre of the place, and he paused as he saw it. He didn't see it often, so many of them gathered in one place. He never bothered to see it, but there was a certain beauty in tragedy; at least it brought everyone together, even if it was for mere minutes. 

He pushed through, getting to the registration forms. His eyes remained distracted on the gates, and he knew lycans were coming in; the smell of a wet, dirty dog already clung to him. But over all the other figures, there was no way he would be able to see Eren. He just hoped the lycan was okay. 

Stopping before the girl, he groaned inwardly. Hitch looked up at him, furrowing her eyebrows but a smirk spreading over her lips. “You can't go through there, Levi.” She pointed out with a shrug. 

His patience with Hitch was quickly running out. “Sir.” He growled at her, tired of hearing his name falling from her lips. 

“There's no need to call me 'sir', Levi. I'm a woman, silly.” She giggled, but the teasing grin remained and it made his blood boil even more. 

“I'm on the list.” He hissed in return, his clenching as he took a step forward. He would have taken his blade out and gladly shoved it through her heart, but the problem was only that he would be executed under treason, but also, he forgot his blades. 

She hardly looked at the list before she smirked. “I don't think so.” She shook her head innocently. 

A growl fell from his lips as he took a step forward. The iris of his eyes immediately changed red and Hitch's eyes widened in reply, realising she might have took it too far. “Here.” Hanji was beside him, grabbing his arm tightly. Mike had shown up on the other side of Levi, still, patient and quiet as always. “Mike Zacharias and Levi Ackerman. Both here.” Hanji pointed on the list with a friendly smile. But Levi saw right through that smile. 

Hitch nodded in return and as Levi pushed past her, shouldering her along the way, he silently hoped a stray Rogue would get through and chew her head off. Mike was right behind him. 

Stepping into the corridor, Levi watched as lycans came out of rooms and were met with friends and family, all hugging and laughing and smiling and rejoicing they were all still alive. His eyes scanned the lists with the names by the doors, looking for that one specific name. It was ordered that Eren was to not be inspected until Levi was there. He wanted be the person to perhaps hug Eren after it was over. 

In the corner of his eye he saw one of the newest recruits, Marco, push through the crowd, silently apologizing to every one along the way. His body then clashed with another and before long they were hugging, and Levi didn't need to see the face of the lycan to know that it was Jean. There were quiet murmurs, but Levi didn't bother listening in. 

“Levi.” Mike stopped him, pointing to two doors down. Nanaba stood in front of the door, clearly awaiting them so that the inspection could continue. There were a lot of lycans to get through after all. Levi simply nodded to her as she moved aside. He had a strange craving to hug Eren now, and even though there was a part of him that protested, he could feel his mate's presence now. 

He took hold of the handle and pushed the door open, waling straight into the room, ready to embrace his mate. 

But the smell overpowered him. 

This wasn't Eren's normal scent. Behind the scent of his blood, there was now a certain burning stench and Levi's body froze as he recognised the rotten scent, quickly spreading and affecting his mate's body. No. This couldn't be happening. His stomach dropped, his heart skipped a beat and his mouth opened, willing to speak but not making a sound. 

He knew what would happen, and he was going to act first, even if he didn't have his blades. 

He was already taking a step forward, ready to engage and protect his mate, as his instinct told him to. But there were hands grabbing his shoulders hard and he was pulled back, Mike's loud voice yelling for back up and that it was positive and no no no no no this couldn't be happening. 

“Let me go!” Levi thrashed, nails lengthening rapidly as he attempted to swipe at Mike to let him go from his restraint. He kicked and tried, but there was a tiredness spreading over his body as the thoughts settled quickly. Figures rushed into the room and he watched his mate, his lover, be handcuffed, treated harshly as the vampires around him hissed in disgust. 

Levi thrashed again, his fangs elongating in a threatening, desperate display as he kept repeating 'no' under his breath, his voice broken and cracking. But he was already being pulled back to the door by Mike, while the other vampires escorted Eren out through the other door. 

Once the door shut behind him, Mike let him go. But Levi didn't move. He simply leaned his forehead against the closed door and swallowed, bringing his hand up and noticing the stray wet drops on his cheek for the first time in a long time. 

Eren was infected. He changed his mind: there was absolutely no beauty in tragedy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These past few days have been a mess, okay. School has been getting in the way of my sudden anime rush, but nevertheless, I managed to finish Noragami, Death Note and Kamisama Hajimemashita. There are more to go. So, that's my reason for longer than usual update. From now on, however, the slow updates will be because school is getting in the way of life in general, that including anime. Omg new Love Stage!! episode tomorrow.  
> Yeah...I probably need some help. I should go and get myself a life. Based on those, anybody have any recommendations?  
> Right. Now that that's sorted. Hi.  
> [Here](http://hajsneko.deviantart.com/art/Trio-Werewolves-480291497?ga_submit_new=10%253A1409869348) you can check out the beautiful art of Eren, Mikasa and Armin as wolves. I want to thank you to everybody contributing art for the story and those that are in the process of doing so. I appreciate all the effort you guys put into it!  
> An explanation will follow in the next chapter, but you might be able to work out what happened just by looking at the flashes (seeing who looks like what in the art might come in handy). Also, I'm sorry this chapter dragged on and on.  
> Anything related to the story can be found under the tag fic: etch on Tumblr.  
> What do you guys think will happen next? Thank you for all the support and the amazing comments and so many kudos! I love you all!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I never thought I'd see the day Corporal Levi Ackerman found a mate and fell in love.”

He hit the concrete hard, arms wrapped around himself with the wall being a comforting presence at his back. Hanji had yelled his name repeatedly, but Mike had pulled her back, whispering to her ear something which made her change her mind. She retreated with a small, pained glance. 

Around him, vampires continued to pace there and back, still busy and with the sun quickly rising higher into the sky, many were in a flurry to get into the shade and out of the threatening sun. He raised his head slightly and observed the sun rays getting closer to him, creeping by his feet now. 

His cheeks were dry, and he was thankful for that. He didn't need anybody to see him cry, even if he was completely justified for doing so. His mate was as good as dead, after all. 

Different thoughts and ideas ran through his head, some better than others, some more legal than others. His first instinct was clearly to protect his mate, but after an unsuccessful try where he was dragged away, he understood this wasn't possible. He could try and go against the law by appealing to the government, but none of it would work; many have tried before. 

He could always go against the law in other ways. He was fully sure that finding out Eren's location and breaking him out would come easy to him. It wasn't him being arrogant,he just knew it would be possible. But along the way, innocent people would die and that wasn't fair. His need for Eren wouldn't drive him to kill people whose job it was to keep others safe. 

So, in reality, there was nothing he could do. All that was left now was dreading the next three days where Eren's condition would not change before he would be executed. And by then, Levi himself should be ready for death, too. 

Things quieted down once the sun rose high into the sky. He supposed all infected lycans would have been taken away now. He knew he had a busy schedule, with finding the Rogue intruders being a priority, but he just couldn't bring himself to actually move and move on with his life. It wasn't that easy. 

It was when he heard a whimper that caught his interest did he look up, frowning slightly. Further down the wall sat another person, in a very similar position to Levi, but the boy's body shook with sobs and whimpers and Levi almost felt bad. The feeling intensified once he recognised a similar smell on the boy. 

His feet were moving before he even understood why, and he stopped right beside the boy, letting his own body slide down the wall to mirror the others'. “Armin, right?” He murmured, not looking at the blond but instead choosing to keep his gaze on his own hand. He couldn't believe he had attempted to attack Mike. 

Armin looked up, sniffling as he focused on Levi and his eyes widened, his body instantly tensing. He stumbled in his seat, leaning away from the vampire quickly, his mouth open to say something, but no words coming out. Those huge, blue eyes of his were red with tears and there was still a steady, wet stream down his cheeks. “I'm so sorry.” Armin finally whimpered out, his eyes closing tightly. 

Levi regarded him for a moment, not understanding. “What the hell are you sorry for?” He asked, eyes narrowing slightly. Armin clearly knew something Levi didn't. 

“About Eren.” Armin whimpered, and realisation hazed over his eyes as he came to a conclusion Levi wasn't here to hurt him. He tensely returned to his previous position, back against the wall, but still kept a distance between him and Levi. 

“Yeah, so am I.” Levi simply sighed. 

“You have nothing to be sorry about, sir.” Armin whispered, wiping his stained cheeks quickly. “I was there. It was my fault, sir.” 

“Drop the fucking 'sir.'” Levi growled, turning away from Armin again. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, anyway?” 

“I-” Armin started but trailed off, frowning. “It's coming back in flashes. I don't remember everything.” He admitted, closing his eyes and flinching slightly. Of course he wouldn't; hence why the full moon was so dangerous. “But Eren surely does.” 

Levi frowned, realising what Armin was saying. “You saying Eren remembers everything that happened?” Levi asked him. Armin nodded quickly. “It doesn't matter.” Levi commented. “There isn't going to be some fucking trial or something. He's infected; he's going to die. Simple as that.” 

“No, I-” Armin sighed, frustrated, and paused again. “It was my fault. I was attacked.” He admitted. Levi's interest suddenly peaked. “The plan was to split into smaller groups. I wasn't supposed to be with Eren. But I was attacked and my group left me behind; that's what we're taught. We're supposed to evade the Rogues, not face off with them.” 

Levi nodded, frowning at a certain thought. In one of those weird visions he had seen a light furred wolf squaring off with a dark furred one. His eyes flicked to Armin's light blond hair and he wondered whether the light furred wolf in the flashes was Armin. 

“I was hurt and losing.” Armin spoke. Levi quickly scanned over the bandages wrapped in specific places; Armin was clearly still injured. “And then Eren showed up.” Armin broke off with a sob on his lips. “He took on the Rogue himself, but it was a tough fight. The Rogue had tackled him and Eren was forced to bite him to get him off.” Flashes returned, and Levi tensed as he understood that the visions he had seen were clearly from Eren's point of view, through his eyes. 

“B-but there were more coming and-” Armin broke off again, wiping at his eyes. Levi frowned and rolled his eyes, picking up the handkerchief from his own pocket before chucking it to Armin, who accepted it with a quiet 'thank you.' “There was no time to lose. Eren bit out the Rogue's nape.” And that was what endangered him. Indulging blood was not the same as mixing blood with Rogue, but a lot of the times it still resulted with an infection. Lycans were taught to puke it out, but there was not always time. 

Armin sobbed again. “He saved my life and he will lose his because of that.” He whimpered before burying his head in his knees again, more tears streaming. 

Levi suddenly remembered his own words: _“And it's that bravery that will drive him towards his death.”_ He had been right, after all. 

~~*~~*~~

He had to act quickly, but to act, he needed to know exact details. “Sir, we have a report from last night.” Petra ran beside him, trying to keep up with his rapid walking. “It's about the Rogues.” She quickly rushed out, seeing that Levi wasn't reacting. 

“I don't care right now, Petra.” He replied simply, turning the corner and watching as Petra quickly followed. 

“Sir, Commander Smith said it was important to notify you of-” 

“I said, I don't give a shit, Petra.” He growled, pausing for just a second. “Tell Erwin he can shove it all up his ass. I already heard; you were there, and you caught shit. There's no sign of the Rogues.” He muttered in annoyance. “I have more important things to do.” 

“But, sir, it's important that-” 

“Petra,” He hissed, turning to look at the girl with his eyes narrowed. “I told you: I'm busy.” 

A hurt expression flicked over Petra's face at Levi's tone but then she nodded once, her lips pursing as she looked away. “Fine.” She spoke simply. “Good luck, Levi.” She turned on her heel and strode off down the hallway while Levi rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. She was making a big deal out of nothing. He was sure they could catch three damn Rogues without his help. 

Knocking on the door, he waited for a gruff 'come in' before he opened the door and walked into the room. He paused as soon as he closed the door, hesitating slightly on what he was supposed to say. 

“Commander Pixis.” Levi nodded his head once, biting down on his lip in hesitance. 

“Levi.” Dot Pixis smiled at him, his distinguished moustache twitching as his lips stretched into the wide smile. “I was surprised when they told me you were coming. Please, take a seat.” Levi nodded and started forward, grabbing a chair and sitting down on the other side of the desk. 

Dot Pixis was a Commander, but he was the highest ranked one. He wasn't in particular in charge of one regiment, but he was to some extent responsible for them all. He answered straight to the King, and all choices any of the other Commanders has ever made all had to be approved by him. Dot Pixis was also known for being one of the vampires who had a lycan mate, and made it work perfectly. 

“I'm not honoured with your presence enough. Erwin keeps you his dirty little secret.” Commander Pixis spoke, a chuckle following his statement. “If you came here to see me, I can only guess it's not about something pleasing.” 

“Right.” Levi replied, keeping his gaze firmly on the desk. Unlike with Erwin, he felt meaningless next to Commander Pixis. The man was famous, after all, and he was probably one of the very few people whom Levi held respect for. “I wanted to ask you a few things.” He stated. 

“Are they about your mate?” 

Levi looked up, his eyes widening. “How did you know?” He asked quickly, before quickly adding a “sir.” 

Dot smiled, and clenched his hands together, his elbows resting on the desk. “There's only a certain amount of things you'd bother worrying about, Levi. And the gossip about your new mate is quickly making its way around.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Go on, then.” He urged, but then frowned. “Just remember this: don't ask me to grant your mate a release. I'm not allowed to do that, no matter how much I like you, Levi.” 

“Of course, sir.” He nodded. “Your wife is a lycan.” Levi started hesitantly, to which Dot Pixis nodded simply. “I wanted to know how relationships between lycans and vampires work.” 

“Why, Levi, we all have the same parts, no matter the species.” 

Levi's eyes widened and he almost felt a blush creeping up his neck. To speak rudely is one thing, but another was Commander Pixis' blunt sense of humours, which seemed to just roll off his tongue without an impact at all. “I know that.” He commented. “I was just wondering about other details.” 

Commander Pixis leaned forward, clearly interested. “Do tell.” 

“I felt like I've seen something...” Levi admitted. “It sounds damn insane but it feels like I looked through Eren's eyes during the full moon.” 

Pixis nodded. “That's very plausible.” He commented to which Levi frowned. He didn't expect to actually be right. He expected to be called insane. “It has only happened to me twice previously.” He stated and Levi nodded quickly, showing his interest. “It doesn't always happen. It's a unique ability. It happens when a bond between two mates is strong.”

Levi frowned. The bond between him and Eren wasn't that strong. They hardly knew each other; they hardly even got past the 'tragic back stories stage.' But he must have been wrong. 

“The ability works only when the lycan in a pair is in distress. It's...almost like a call for help.” Pixis gave Levi a small, understanding smile. “Hurts, right?” Levi simply nodded once in return. “Your mate,” Pixis suddenly started, still intrigued. “You're not blood-bound, right? The consequences could be dire for you if you are.”

Levi shook his head. “No.” He admitted. “We're hardly close.” 

“That's obviously not true.” Pixis pointed out. “Those visions wouldn't have happened if you weren't.” He laughed then, a loud laugh which made Levi question his sanity. “I never thought I'd see the day Corporal Levi Ackerman found a mate and fell in love.” 

“I didn't.” 

“I'm sure you didn't, Levi. I'm sure you didn't.” 

~~*~~*~~

“Stop fucking following me.” Levi snapped to Ian, who was currently a few steps behind him in the narrow hallway. 

“I can't leave you alone with him. There's no guarantee you won't break him out.” Ian pointed out hesitantly, clearly not liking the authority coming off Levi. 

Levi growled with impatience and stopped, turning around to face Ian. The lycan tensed, his fists clenching, ready to shift if Levi was to attack him. “You're almost as insufferable as your girlfriend.” Levi hissed, drawing both of his blades and dropping them to the ground, cringing as he realised they probably got scratched. He reached for his dagger and dropped that as well, followed by the gun and two more knives hidden away. 

Ian looked momentarily impressed, his eyebrows raised. “Yeah, Rico does have that effect on people.” He commented, nodding for Levi to go ahead. 

Levi turned and continued down the hallway, crinkling his nose at the wet dog smell. He walked past multiple cells, watching as lycans clawed at the silver bars between them and Levi, some in their wolf forms, growling and snarling as he passed. Others were naked, pacing back and forth, murmuring to themselves. All of them were clearly infected after the full moon. 

Levi made it to the last cell and froze, looking in and spotting the boy who had made his heart instantly beat faster. His eyes softened as he watched for a second, his chest constricting painfully as his quiet breaths became shallow with difficulty. 

Eren sat curled up in the corner, his head hidden in his knees and his arms wrapped around himself almost like a barrier. He wasn't acting like any of the other manic lycans held here. 

Levi couldn't help it. He reached for the silver bars separating him from his mate, a growl at his lips, his canines ready to pierce his gums and rip the metal apart with his teeth if he needed to. Only a few seconds later did he realise how absurd that was. 

Eren looked up at the sound, his eyes widening slightly before he stumbled to his feet. He looked like he was about to come over but then froze half way down the cell, his eyes falling to the ground. “I could infect you.” He murmured, his fists clenching at his sides. 

His quiet, hurt voice made something shatter inside Levi. “Eren.” He breathed, still holding onto the bars tightly. He was doing everything he could in his will power to stay still and not try to pull the bars apart. “Come here.” 

Eren sighed, stepping forward again but making sure to not touch the silver by accident. Silver was dangerous to lycans after all. He looked up, those large orbs looking up at Levi with sadness. “I'm sorry, Levi.” He murmured. “I didn't mean to.” 

Levi tensed again, swallowing hard over the sudden lump in his throat. “It wasn't your fault.” He whispered quickly, his eyes staring right back at Eren. Then, he reached his hand out slowly and Eren watched him do so. Levi's fingers ghosted over Eren's cheek, to which the lycan shivered before he cupped the side of Eren's face in his hand. 

“I'll get you out of here.” Levi whispered hotly. “I promise.” 

“You can't promise something like that.” Eren replied in return, smiling lightly at Levi's touch. He brought his own hand up and covered Levi's with his own, watching as Levi smiled lightly. 

“You protected Armin.” 

“He would've died.” 

“You're suicidal.” Levi pointed out. 

“So are you.” Eren replied. 

Levi swallowed again, fighting against the desperate, cold chuckle wanting to leave his mouth. “But I'm not going to be killed for my actions. That's the difference here, Eren.” He managed to say without his voice breaking. 

Eren shrugged slightly, taking a step back, letting Levi's hand fall. “Armin couldn't die. He's a much better person than I am. He's smart and cunning and, Levi, he's so clever. He deserves to live.” 

“And what about you?” Levi growled, the empty hand now clenching tight. “You can't see how special you are; the things you can do. Eren, you didn't go crazy during the full moon. That's something one in a million can do.” 

“So what?” Eren replied. “That doesn't change the fact that in two days, I'm going to die.” He shook his head and sat down, bringing his knees up to his chest. “You don't understand, Levi. I can feel it. I feel all hot inside. It's like my blood is pumping faster and it's so hot...” 

Levi sighed, looking down at the dirty floor and risking it, sitting down himself. “I wish I could help.” He muttered. 

“You do.” Eren smiled lightly. “I don't know. It's weird. Just you being here kind of...It's kind of soothing, actually.” 

Levi shook his head, his canines threatening to come down again as his hands fisted around the silver bars. “I can get you out of here.” He whispered. 

“And then what?” Eren questioned. “In a few days you would have to put me down, anyway.” He shrugged. Suddenly, his head perked up. “You know what I find really unfair?” He spoke up. 

“What?”

“I didn't get to meet you.” 

“I'm here, aren't I?” Levi spoke, trying to keep his breath even. 

“That's not that I mean.” Eren replied. “I mean, more personally.” 

Levi remained silent. Eren was right; it was unfair. He would have hoped to create more memories with Eren as well. There were so many things Levi didn't know yet, like how Eren's lips tasted under his own; like how Eren's fingers would feel running through his hair; like how Eren would look when he was peacefully sleeping; like how Eren's hand would feel in his own; or like how Eren's skin would feel under his fingers. 

“I had a shit childhood.” Eren looked up at Levi's words. “I didn't know my father and I hardly knew my mother. She gave me over to my uncle when she understood she couldn't take care of me.” Levi explained. “Kenny Ackerman was a serious man; he didn't have a damn hint of humour in him. He did whatever it took to get the job done, even going as far as murder and betrayal. But he was a skilled killer and I learned quite a bit from him.” 

Eren's eyes widened as he understood what Levi was doing. He instantly sat up and listened intently. 

“I spent my whole childhood with him. I worshipped him. Sure, he didn't show me love and he didn't hug nor praise me but I wanted to be like him, so calm and collected, and so perfectly skilled.” Levi chuckled, his voice cracking slightly. “At least, I thought so.” 

“That was all before he did the one thing I could never forgive him for,” Levi paused, inhaling deeply as his dirty secret was about to be unveiled. “He forced himself on me.” He chuckled coldly, with Eren's face softening into a sympathetic frown. “I mean, how fucking sick was he? To force himself on a defenceless kid?” He chuckled again, shaking his head fiercely as if trying to get rid of the memories. “And you want to know why I don't like physical contact, Eren?” His voice had become hot and confrontational. “It's because every time someone touches me, I feel his hands on me all over again.” 

“Levi, you don't-” 

“And I never forgave him. Every night I wished he would be brutally murdered. I wished I had the guts to end his pathetic life.” He swallowed hard, stopping and looking away. “But I never did. It happened numerous times and I never had the strength to stop him. So when I started training, I promised myself I wouldn't be pathetic and useless anymore.” 

“Levi, stop.” 

“So I trained day and night. When everybody else was sleeping, I was training. 'Natural talent', they called it. They didn't know shit. I didn't rank first because of luck, I ranked first because I sweat blood to earn that place.” Levi chuckled, his hands fisting at the memories. “And Kenny? He died two weeks after I graduated. His gear malfunctioned and he fell off the wall.” Levi chuckled, his eyes acquiring a red tint to them. “At least, that's the official version.” 

“Levi.” He looked up as a hand grabbed his, his eyes widening at Eren reaching through the bars, careful to not touch them. “Thank you.” Eren whispered, and Levi knew he completely meant it. There was understanding in his eyes instead of pity, like Levi was used to, and he appreciated that coming from Eren. “You weren't pathetic; you were a kid.” 

“Just like you, right now.” Levi pointed out, making Eren's hand retreat. He reached through the bars with both hands, cupping Eren's face as he did. “And you don't deserve to die.” He added hotly. His thumbs stroked over the soft skin of Eren's cheeks. “And damn it, I promise you, Eren. I'll get you out of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Quite a quick update since I'll probably be quite busy next week. I quite like this chapter, actually. You finally got Levi's tragic back story. Any thoughts? And we have Armin! I love Armin. And I decided to add Dot Pixis because that man is a legend.  
> As I was writing, I realised how much I'm actually winging this story. I have some details sorted, but chapters are mostly winged. That's a huge part of why I don't answer a lot of questions; I change my mind like daily.  
> I'm not very good at emotional scenes. Like, I can envision everything happening and I can write the actions but I'm no good at describing the feelings. But, hey, actions speak louder than words.  
> Thank you guys for all the amazing comments! Your comments seriously keep me going and you're one of the main reasons why I even write! They're also probably the reason why I'm putting off my English essay right now...  
> Anything related to the story can be found under the tag fic: etch on Tumblr.  
> My [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hit was quick and too unexpected for him to even try to block it. Her palm struck his cheek with so much fury behind it that he stumbled, his eyes widening at the action and his cheek quickly reddening from the hit. He didn't have the time to exclaim his shock, because Petra was sobbing again, her heavy sobs mixed with croaky, loud yells.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” 

“Levi, you know I'd do anything for you-” 

“Well, you clearly fucking wouldn't!” Seeing that Levi raised his voice, Hanji cringed and looked around, looking down the hallway both ways before grabbing Levi's shoulder and shoving him closer to the wall, urging him to be quiet. 

“Keep it down!” She hissed. “You're asking me to help you break a law. You might not want to announce that everywhere.” She pointed out. “What you're asking me to do is be an accomplice in a break out. That's illegal, and as much as I would love to help you, we would both be charged with treason and put to death.” 

“Gee, can't imagine what being sentenced to death feels like.” Levi dead-panned before his eyes widened dramatically. “Oh, wait. Eren probably does.” He sneered. 

“Levi, you know I would help if I could...” She trailed off again. “But be real here. You don't care about the consequences because whether we succeed or not, Eren will end up dead, and you with him,” The words were harsh, but Levi knew they were true. “However, if I were to die, so will Mike. And that's not fair on him.” Of course. Hanji and Mike were blood-bound, after all. One dying would take a huge toll on the other. 

“I don't have the time nor the patience to be realistic.” He told her in reply. “Eren is in there all alone. He doesn't deserve this, Hanji.” He growled, his fists clenching as he shook his head. He began walking, hearing Hanji's footsteps behind him. She knew better than to leave him alone in his current state. 

“Levi, you have to think through this. This isn't something you can just make an impulse decision on!” Hanji exclaimed after him, hurrying her steps to match his. He wasn't even sure where the hell he was going. 

He knew she was right. But he also knew he had to get Eren out of there, and currently, that thought was a priority. And the next thought was almost as important; he wouldn't be able to pull this off alone. There would be a butchery there and there was no guarantee he would win. Even with his skills, he was numerously outnumbered. 

“Levi? When did you see Eren?” 

The question didn't surprise him. “Four hours ago.” 

He heard her footsteps pause and involuntarily, he paused himself. “That's not possible.” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” 

“I know everything about the infection, Levi. That's my job.” She started. “You said you saw no symptoms. It's been a full day since he was infected, if not more. You should be seeing the symptoms.” 

Levi thought about it. All the cells he had walked past to get to Eren were filled with lycans whom had been infected during the full moon. They were all acting out, either in their wolf forms or pacing in their human forms or clawing at the silver bars in either form. But Eren had been calm. 

“What are you saying?” 

“I'm saying I won't help you break anybody out.” She repeated, her voice lowering. “But I can investigate.” She paused and seemed to think for a minute. “That's still impossible. They won't let me past security with what I need.” 

Levi began walking again. “Then I'll just kill them.” 

“Levi!” She called after him quickly, her footsteps hurrying after. “Murder can't be your first go to option.” She scolded. 

“It's always worked before.” He pointed out simply. He spotted movement down the hall and something like recognition sparkled in his eyes as his steps immediately hurried. 

“Levi?” 

“Freckles.” Levi had grabbed Marco, his hands fisting into the younger vampire's jacket and shoving him against the wall hard enough to hear the impact the wall made with the boy's back. 

“S-sir?” Marco stuttered, looking up at Levi with wide eyes full of terror. His body had started trembling and Levi rolled his eyes, but still didn't release him. 

“Levi! Let him go!” Hanji's voice rang out and he felt her hand grabbing his shoulder, but he harshly shrugged her off. 

“Your mate. The one with attitude problems.” Levi quickly hissed, his voice low and threatening enough to scare Marco further. It was the point, after all. “Is he capable of working security at the lycan headquarters prisons?” 

Marco's wide eyes had looked over to Hanji helplessly before Levi shook him, his hands fisting tighter into Marco's jacket. “Is he?” Levi growled again. 

“Levi, this is harassment.” Hanji was hissing by his ear. “You can get suspended for this.” 

“Probably.” Marco whimpered, his gaze returning to look at Levi. 

“Probably?” Levi growled. 

“Yes.” Marco corrected quickly.

“Have him on duty tonight.” Levi told him firmly. “He's to let us through with a minimal search.” Levi instructed clearly. 

“Sir, I don't know if that's pos-” 

“Make it possible, Freckles.” Levi snapped. His fists unclenched and he took a step back. You might think that's harsh, but that's just how the world works.” Levi added, realising how harsh his voice had sounded. “If he's not there tonight, I'm not going to be happy.” Levi was about to turn around and leave before another thought came to his mind. “You'd be surprised what desperate people will do in desperate situations.” 

He left a dazed Marco behind and proceeded to walk away, Hanji quick at his trail. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Levi?” She hissed behind him. 

“Get ready. Whatever you need to do, you have to do tonight.” He told her. “Whatever it is you're doing, it better help somehow.” He spoke. “Otherwise, I'm burning the whole place down tonight.” 

Hanji had stopped in her steps, watching Levi's back retreating. She really had to do something. 

~~*~~*~~

Levi was currently sat in the cafeteria. He had grabbed a table by the back and away from the prying eyes. He stared down at his neatly prepared sandwiches, accompanied by a cup of red liquid he so craved. But there was a hunger inside him that was even worse; he needed Eren. The thought of not seeing Eren again was verging on painful. 

He reflected on Commander Pixis' words about his mate and their relationship. Perhaps this whole thing with Eren had gone further than he thought it did. With his eyes widening fractionally, he had realised what he had done today. 

In an attempt to save his mate he had tried persuading his best friend to sacrifice her life through breaking the law; he had physically assaulted a new recruit and to top it off, he had threatened him. All within the time span of an hour. He had truly gone insane. He wasn't suited for this line of work, not when he was so easily affected by his feelings for Eren. 

_“Did you ever try to find your mom?” Eren had whispered, his voice hesitant and careful, as if speaking to a scared animal._

_“No.” Levi replied honestly. “I figured: she gave me away, she clearly didn't want me around.” He shrugged slightly. “But I don't blame her for it. Sure, I was dealt a shitty hand at where I ended up, but it's not like she could have known. He was her brother after all; her family, so why would she suspect him of being unable to raise a child correctly?”_

_“Did you ever-”_

_“No. I didn't look for my father, either.” Levi cut him off, already knowing the question that was coming. “Kenny always said my mother didn't know my father well. They hooked up and I was the unfortunate consequence. They weren't mates. My mother's real mate had died. It must have messed her up.”_

_“And what about his mate?” Eren almost growled at the simple pronoun. He couldn't bring himself to say the name._

_“Kenny killed his mate. He was at the top of the chain, after all. First-in-command of the Military Police. He cared more about that shit than about his mate.”_

_“You make it sound like you don't care about it.” Eren pointed out simply._

_Levi chuckled humourlessly, leaning back against the wall. “It's funny, Eren.” He replied. “Because I don't. I used to care hell of a lot more.”_

_Eren was silent for a moment before a whisper came, “Is that because of me?”_

_“Maybe.” Levi replied._

_“I'm sorry.”_

_“Don't be. To put your whole life into your job is sick. Everybody needs something else to worry about.” Levi sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. “It feels good.” Levi frowned after a moment, opening his eyes. “You won't die.”_

_“Levi, we've talked about this. You can't-”_

_“There's so many people who love you.” Levi had interrupted him. “Mikasa would probably skin me alive if anything happened to you. There's also that damn wolf; they both love you.” Seeing Eren's eyes widen slightly, Levi sighed, words returning and replying in his head. “Perhaps they aren't the only ones who love you, either.”_

A sudden wave of noise caught his attention and he looked up as multiple people ran into the room, all yelling at the same time. The previously calm soldiers sitting around has begun stirring, murmuring amongst themselves. Levi got up and stepped forward, investigating with a furrow between his eyebrows. 

“Levi! There you are!” Hanji had come running through the door, out of breath and red-faced. “You have to come with me. Let's go.” She didn't bother waiting for his reply. She had grabbed his sleeve and dragged him out of the cafeteria and into the hallway. 

“Hanji! What the fuck!” He managed to stutter out somewhere in between her dragging him or violently turning a corner. 

“The Rogues showed up. We have a few injured and two dead.” 

His mind quickly spun around the details; his squad was on duty looking out for the Rogues. He imagined one of his squad members being dead, and then quickly got rid of the thoughts; the pain would be unwelcome with what he was already feeling. They were trained well. It wouldn't be any of them. 

They reached the medical wing and Hanji dragged him into a room full of rushing soldiers, the ones trained to do the specific job of doctors. 

There was nothing special around that Levi could see, but then the sun rays coming through the window reflected off ginger hair and his eyes widened as he recognised Petra lying in one of the beds. 

“Petra!” His steps has become rushed now and before he knew it, he was running. Petra sat curled up on the bed, sobbing quietly into her knees, her shoulder shaking with the action. “Petra, what happened?” He asked as soon as he stood by her side, his hand reaching out to grab her shoulder. There was a giant scratch starting at her upper arm and reaching almost her wrist, blood freely pouring from the wound and soaking the white bedsheets. 

She looked up quickly, her eyes widening as she realised it was Levi standing before her. He didn't expect what happened next. 

The hit was quick and too unexpected for him to even try to block it. Her palm struck his cheek with so much fury behind it that he stumbled, his eyes widening at the action and his cheek quickly reddening from the hit. He didn't have the time to exclaim his shock, because Petra was sobbing again, her heavy sobs mixed with croaky, loud yells. 

“This is all your fault! You were supposed to be there, Levi! This is all your fucking fault!” She sobbed, pointing at him accusingly. “If you were there, nobody would have died! It was your fucking job to be there and you ignored it!” She yelled again, her fists clenching with fury. “Auruo is dead because you weren't there!” She cried harder, shaking her head as tears spilled over her cheeks and down her neck. “He's dead because you didn't give a fuck! He's dead because you had your head up your fucking ass and worried more about everything else! He's dead because of you!” She cried harder, hugging her knees to herself. 

“Petra-” He started carefully, his voice gentle and shaky as the news struck him. Auruo was dead. 

“Leave.” She whispered, her voice now cold and emotionless, which cut him even deeper. “I don't want to look at you.” 

Levi nodded slowly, clenching his own fists as he accepted the dismissal, swiftly turning around and walking away. He only turned back once to see Petra crying again, speaking with one of the soldiers about sewing up her wound. 

Auruo had been his friend for a long time. He had only caught Levi's attention after they graduated. When Hanji ran off on one of the expeditions in search for the perfect lycan experiment and endangered the safety of the whole regiment, Levi had quickly set off after her but he wasn't the only one. 

Sure, he had ended up saving Auruo's life when the foolish soldier had tried to save Hanji, but Levi admired his bravery. He was also jealous of Auruo at some point, because he got a mate as wonderful as Petra. But that jealousy had passed quickly when he saw how happy they have been, even though little fights were a norm for them. Those always made him smile. 

And now he was no longer. 

And it was all his entire fault. 

He looked over other soldiers, realising how bad the injuries were. To think that three Rogues made all this damage. He also found out that the other dead was a new lycan recruit, Thomas Wagner, whom Levi didn't care much for. 

His next thought could have been considered harsh, but it was realistic. He was glad Petra and Auruo weren't blood-bound. The usual recommendation when it came to mates in the military was to give up on blood-bonding since it increased the chances of one dying when the other did and that made no sense when they tried to keep high numbers. Some still did it, either way. But Petra would live through this. 

That being said, nobody could predict how she would be after the initial shock settled. 

Most went insane. Some drove themselves to insanity with the constant thoughts of their mate. Other chose the simple choice of suicide. He didn't want Petra to do any of these, and he vowed there and then that he would be there for her. 

But he couldn't be there for her and Eren both, at the same time. 

And it struck him. He didn't go with his squad because he had been busy finding out more about his mate and the nature of their relationship. Having a mate had once again clashed with his life, but this time, there were casualties that mattered. 

In perspective, Auruo wasn't killed by the Rogues. He was killed by Levi and his lack of caring. Auruo's blood was on his hands. And that wasn't fair. The worth of one life had to be paid with another life. 

So he understood what he really needed to do. There was no point fighting against the thoughts anymore. He would get Eren out of there so that they could spend their last moment happily before he would have to end Eren's life, and therefore end his own.

And he deserved it. He had ignored anything of importance in exchange for thoughts of his mate, and that wasn't fair on anybody who was close to him. They would end up dead if he continued like this. 

Walking out of the room, he grabbed his knife and slid the sharp edge across his palm, watching the wound open up. He clenched his fist and watched as the blood attempted to escape through the cracks between his fingers. 

He made a blood-promise then. He would avenge Auruo and Eren, both. His first step would be getting rid of the Rogues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I did say I was going to update later in the week, but this is just a quick update. There might be one more coming over the weekend, or early next week. I just tried to get all of this in and move the plot along slightly. I don't want this story to be too long and I realised it's chapter 10 and they haven't even kissed yet!  
> Everything is probably going to be a rollercoaster ride from here. 7  
> Anybody else see Levi going slightly _loco_?  
>  I absolutely love your comments, guys! I adore answering them, especially when they have some deep meaningful questions which I haven't even thought about! Some comments make me think twice about things, as well! So, some plot twists are thanks to you.  
> I hope you liked this chapter, and don't hate me too much. I'm shit at writing feelings, okay.  
> Alright.  
> Hit me up on [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/) if you want! I'm free to discuss theories/ideas and/or everything else.  
> Anything related to the story can be found under the tag fic: etch  
> Thanks for reading.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If I were to stab Mike right through his heart in front of you, right now, you wouldn't act rationally. You wouldn't give a shit who I was. You'd grab me, and stab me right back, without a second thought.” He let her go, making her stumble back with wide eyes. “That's how this is. Don't get in my way.”

“Levi! Hold on!” Hanji's loud voice echoed and he rolled his eyes in response, not slowing down his quick stride down the hallway. His 3DMG was hanging tightly at his hips and the silver blades weighed him down slightly, but the weight was welcome and sort of comforting. 

Hanji didn't get it. None of them did. 

In about thirty-six hour, Eren would be dead. Auruo was dead at the present. Petra was slowly swivelling into insanity. Erwin was watching his every move. There were Rogues running around and killing people. 

Levi had thirty-six hours to sort all of this out. Once Eren was dead, there was not a doubt in his mind that his own sanity would suffer greatly, no matter how much he fought against it. 

“Levi!” A hand grabbed his shoulder and he turned quickly, shoving her hand off of him with a snarl on his lips. He didn't miss the hurt look in her eyes.

“I don't have time for you to talk.” He told her. “You're either in, or you're out.” 

“Levi, you're not thinking straight!” She exclaimed, her hands flying up in frustration.”You're marching towards your own death!” 

“That's not unusual for me.” He replied simply, his fingers itching to make sure his gear was working and everything would be perfect. There was no time for mistakes. He turned and began walking again. 

“Why do I always have to fucking chase after you?!” She yelled after him. “Why can't you just one time, pause and listen to what I have to say!?” He ignored her. He knew what she would say. She always said the same thing. 

“What have you become?” 

He froze at her words. 

“It's true: finding a mate changes people internally, but for the better. You've become irrational, thinking of nobody besides Eren and yourself, and that's sick, and frankly, quite pathetic. Yes, our mates are a priority, but you have to look a the bigger picture here.” She walked over to him, pausing in front of him. “It's harsh, but this is reality. You used to be damn suicidal, but now you're like the plague; everything you do affects others.” 

“Shut up, Hanji.” 

“Your actions are based solely on your emotions, and as a soldier, you're trained to do the exact opposite.” She hissed, shaking her head, her determined gaze set upon him. “You're not being rational. You feel guilty for people around you dying; newsflash! None of those deaths were your fault.” She added, poking at his chest with her finger to provoke him further. 

“You need to sort your shit out and think rationally about what you're doing.” 

“This is great.” Levi laughed, his laugh cold and emotionless. He reached up and grabbed one of Hanji's jacket lapels, fisting it in his hand and bringing her down to his level. “But you know shit.” He hissed. “If I were to stab Mike right through his heart in front of you, right now, you wouldn't act rationally. You wouldn't give a shit who I was. You'd grab me, and stab me right back, without a second thought.” He let her go, making her stumble back with wide eyes. “That's how this is. Don't get in my way.” 

He walked around her and continued down the hallway. “Was that a fucking threat, Levi?” She yelled after him, her footsteps still following. He rolled his eyes and groaned; could he not get rid of her? 

“Take it as whatever you want!” He walked out of the building and into the bright sky, the sun shining down at him powerfully. He hissed and pulled his hood over his head, rolling his eyes as he heard the door opening and Hanji following still. 

It was only when he looked forward did he spot another familiar person and closed his eyes for a second, groaning internally. He didn't want either of the women bothering him right now. 

“This is going to be good.” 

“Get him out.” The lycan growled at him as soon as she came close enough, but then she didn't stop. Her hands grabbed at Levi, fisting into his jacket and bringing him closer. He watched her canines lengthen for a second, her eyes turning red mid-shift before he shoved her away, his own canines making an appearance at the simple smell of the lycan. 

“Mikasa. Great to see you again.” 

“Get Eren out of there. Now.” She growled firmly again, her eyes focused on him. “You're so far up all the Commanders' asses that you must be able to get him out.” 

“Don't you think I would have already, if I could?” He growled in response, straightening out the creases in his jacket. 

“Well then try harder!” She growled, her nails rapidly lengthening. 

“Hey! I think we all need to take it down a notch!” Hanji had joined them, grinning and slipping in between the two, using her body as a shield. 

“Hanji.” Levi had growled as a warning. 

“Let's all calm down.” Hanji started again. “We can work this out.” 

“You didn't try hard enough. I knew you weren't good enough to be his mate.” Mikasa spat. 

“Oh?” Levi laughed. “And you are?”

“I never implied I wanted to be his mate!” 

“Yes, you did. You practically reek of desperation, but because you're a filthy mutt, you're never going to have a mate. Especially not Eren.” Levi had begun speaking, unable to stop. “He's mine.” 

He had pushed away Hanji at the perfect time, because then Mikasa had tackled him within a matter of seconds, her body shifting mid-air into the powerful wolf before they both hit the ground, with her snarling on top of him. 

“Go ahead.” Levi taunted. “Kill me, and see how that affects Eren.” 

“Levi!” 

Mikasa was staring at him, her vibrant red eyes a sign of her untamed temper and impure blood line. Her giant, black furred paws had him trapped against the ground, the claws from each paw dangerously close to his body. Her jaws were clenched in a snarl, those sharp teeth made for ripping into skin ready to do just that at any given moment. 

She snarled, snapping her jaws just in front of his face and he turned away at the drool spraying his way before she took a step back and got off him, still snarling slightly. 

“Well, then,” Hanji broke the silence. “I think that settles that.” She spoke. She turned to Mikasa. “Stay here I'll get you some clothes.” She then turned to Levi. “And you won't move from this very spot.” She told him firmly. 

She didn't wait for an answer and simply hurried back inside the building. 

When she came out mere three minutes later, the yard was clear and there was no sign of Levi nor the giant black wolf. 

~~*~~*~~

“You must be Jean!” Hanji grinned towards the lycan, her eyes carefully scanning over ash brown hair styled rather messily, sides and back trimmed shorter and giving him a more grown up look. 

The lycan hummed in agreement, motioning for her to turn around as he searched over her pockets. 

“Marco's told me all about you!” Hanji added and felt Jean freeze for a second before he returned to searching her. His eyes remained on the figure down the hallway, patrolling and looking their way every so often. 

His hand reached a bump at Hanji's side and he paused, pursing his lips. “Has he?” He murmured, looking down the hallway before straightening up and looking Hanji in the face. “Clear. But I still need to come with you.” 

“Oh, yes.” Hanji continued, walking down the hallway as she spoke. “He talks all about how brave you are and how you would-” She paused, noticing a troubled look on Jean's face. “Is everything alright?” 

“Marco always sees the good in people.” Jean pointed out, his voice firm but somehow, thoughtful. “Always the good, never the bad.” 

Hanji smiled lightly. “Maybe we need more people like that.” She commented. She turned at a harsh sound, watching lycans in their cells as they passed. Some have retorted to trying to escape through the walls, scratches and holes digging into the concrete they wouldn't be able to escape. Most still tried at the silver bars. Some sat whimpering to themselves, others scratching at their skin, others sharpening their newly formed black claws on the nearest wall.

“Sad, isn't it?” Jean spoke up and she turned to look at him. “I wish they would just kill the poor bastards. They would be doing people a favour.” But each of them got three days. If it didn't seem like they would get better, they would then be executed. “That is, all but one.” Jean added in a murmur, his eyebrows furrowing with concern. 

Hanji hummed in agreement, hoping that when they did find Eren, they would still find him in a sane state. She didn't have time to waste. She needed to see if there was a possibility of Eren surviving before she was to go and find Levi. That guy would get himself killed, and Erwin had strictly forbidden that. She felt a lecture coming on, and inside, she was almost smirking; Levi hated getting lectured by Erwin. 

“Oi! Yeager!” Jean called, banging the gun in his hand against the silver bars. “You have a visitor.” 

Hanji looked in, realising they reached the right gate. On the first look, she thought Eren had escaped, but once she focused, she found a figure curled up in the corner of the cell, staying away from all sunlight. 

“Make them leave, Jean.” Eren's voice answered weakly, almost a quiet whimper. 

Jean turned to look at Hanji expectantly. Hanji shook her head firmly. “I'm friends with Levi.” She announced. 

“Levi?” Eren's head perked up and teal-green eyes glimmered back at her from the darkness. “Is he here? I can't smell him.” There was a certain desperation in his voice, and Hanji's face softened, her heart aching for the boy. 

“He's not here.” She told him and almost watched the disappointment fill Eren's face. Before he could lose interest, she continued. “But he's going to be here. I promise. He's going to get you out one way or another.” 

Eren let a small chuckle echo in the darkness, “You vampires and your promises.” There was a mocking tone to his voice, but there was also a softness of some sort, which made Hanji question what it was that went on between Eren and Levi beforehand. 

“You really shouldn't be saying these things while I'm here.” Jean whispered next to her. “I don't want to get involved more than I have to.” 

Hanji turned to look at the lycan. “I was under the impression you cared...” She trailed of, raising an eyebrow. “Isn't he...hm, what do you want me to call it? Ex-boyfriend? Ex-fuck buddy?” She watched a blush creep up Jean's neck before spreading over his cheeks. “That's what I thought.” 

She turned towards the cell again, her hands gripping the bars. “Eren,” She spoke again, softly but loud enough for Eren to hear her perfectly. “I need you to answer some questions.”

When she waited but didn't receive an answer, she sighed and continued. “Eren, look at me.” He did, and she smiled as she saw those bright orbs staring back at her. “Perfect.” 

_Eyes- Normal._

“Now, honey, I'll need you to do something else for me.” She told him, while she still had his attention. He seemed to be deep in thought beforehand and she wanted to get to the bottom of this. “I need you to extend your claws and come forward. I need to make sure they're fine.” 

Eren hesitated but then crawled over to the patch of sunlight and extended his claws, giving her a clear view of the sharp-ended tools for killing. But their colour was completely ordinary. 

_Claws- Normal._

“Perfect.” She praised again, seeing that Eren was quickly losing interest. That wasn't a good sign. Slower reflexes, forgetfulness and lack of activity were possible symptoms of being infected. “I know asking this is going to be a lot.” She started again. “But I'm going to need you to shift.” 

“No.” Eren replied simply. Still in the sunlight, he curled in on himself and closed his eyes, either enjoying the sunlight or torturing himself in it. 

“Why not?” She asked carefully. 

“Everything burns.” He told her. “It hurts and burns. It's not just my skin, it's under my skin.” He added, his face contorting into an expression of pain again. His eyes scrunched harder. “Why isn't Levi here?” 

“Does being near him help?” Hanji asked carefully. 

“It makes the pain go away.” Eren replied in a whisper. 

Hanji gave Jean a quick glance before sighing and sitting down on the floor, leaning forward and resting her forehead on the silver bar. “He's looking for the Rogues that invaded.” She told him. She needed to get Eren to trust her somehow. Seeing him in his wolf form was something she couldn't skip. “He's not thinking straight.” Hanji admitted. 

“It's dangerous.” Eren commented, looking up at her. 

“Between worrying about your life and one of his squad members dying a few hours prior, he's out of his mind. He's going to get himself killed.” She explained and watched Eren's eyes widen. 

“Stop him!” It was the loudest she had heard Eren's voice go so far. 

“I tried, but he won't listen to me.” She admitted with a sad smile. “That's why I'm here. I need you to help me out, Eren.” 

“If I shift,” Eren started slowly. “Will that help?” 

“Definitely.” 

Eren sighed, his eyes flicking over to look at Jean for a second, almost helplessly. He then stood up and pulled off his shirt, dropping it to the ground effortlessly. He then pulled off his trousers, still keeping his modesty by leaving his underwear on. Not that being naked was anything weird amongst the lycans. In reality, they saw it so often, they were used to each others' bodies. Hanji had spent many parties amongst them; partying naked was definitely at the top of her list. 

Eren sighed again, his eyes closing and his fists clenching. Hanji felt Jean tense up not far from her, the gun at his hand ready in case Eren were to do something stupid. 

He then shifted effortlessly and quickly, a transformation which made Hanji smile. He was particularly skilled, Eren was, and somehow, she was glad. He deserved Levi, after all. 

The wolf before them stood still, staring at them blankly. Eren kept his gorgeous eyes even in his wolf form, and those giant teal-green orbs now calmly stared back at Hanji as she stood up. She gave the wolf a quick look over. There were no signs of any fur falling out and his eyes had not turned red. 

She gave Eren a nod and a smile. “You can turn back now.” She told him, and watched precisely for the reaction. 

When Eren did shift back, he remained on the ground on his knees, breathing heavily. Hanji frowned, seeing that as a bad sign. When he didn't move for a while, she turned to Jean. “Is he okay? Did that usually happen?” 

Jean remained silent for a moment. “Oi! Yeager! We can see your dick. Put some damn clothes on.” He called before turning to Hanji with a smile. “It's not unusual. Shifting was one of the things he was bad at during training. He puts too much strength into shifting that it leaves him tired when he turns back.” Jean scoffed. “Always trying to be an overachiever.” 

“Shut up, horse face.” 

Jean grinned then. “He's fine.” 

Hanji nodded quickly. “Open the cell.” 

“What?” 

Hanji turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “Open the cell.” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? That's not allowed!” Jean quickly hissed, his eyes widening as he looked down the hallway. 

“I'm not telling you to let him out.” She rolled her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her, watching Eren get dressed. “I'm telling you to open the cell and let me in.” 

“He could be dangerous.” 

“I'm a scientist. I think I can determine whether he is.” She told Jean quickly and when she saw he still wasn't moving, she simply plucked the keys out of his hand, trying to look for the right one. 

“We're all going to get in trouble.” He quickly protested. 

“I thought you were more rebellious than that, Kirstein.” Hanji pointed out. “Since Marco is the goody-goody I thought you'd be the rebel. You know, opposites attract? Besides, you got the hairdo and the permanent frown.” She spoke as she continued to look through the keys. 

With an agitated huff, he snatched the keys out of her hand and picked out the right one, jamming it into the cell door before turning, hearing a loud click and then opening the door slightly. “If you die, I'm blaming it on you.” He told her. 

She walked into the cell carefully, hearing Jean lock the door behind her. “Eren,” She spoke carefully as she neared the boy. He was back in his usual sitting position but this time, he was out of the sun and against one of the walls. As she neared, she felt safer. There was still a smell of rotten, infected blood in the air but it was fainter than it probably should have been. 

“I need to take your blood sample.” She told him slowly as she crouched down by him. 

He looked up at her carefully. “I remember seeing you at an expedition.” Eren murmured, his voice muffled since he had his arm over his mouth. “You sat beside Levi. It was a few years back.” He chuckled lightly. “Hanji Zoe.” He added. 

“That's me.” She replied. “Then perhaps you'll know that I'm the head of the research in the Survey Corps.” She reached to the pouch at her belt, taking out what she managed to sneak through. She prepared the needle before looking back up at Eren. “You might not be infected, Eren.” 

He said nothing to that. He simply brought his arm out and shrugged. Watching him carefully, she grabbed his arm and then hissed, pulling her hand away. His skin was boiling hot. 

Nevertheless, he cracked a grin. “Am I hot?” 

She rolled her eyes, more careful of how tight she grabbed his arm before she prepared the area for penetration. The needle sank in but Eren didn't acknowledge it with more than a twitch of his eye. 

There was something different about him. He seemed calm and collected and at peace. This definitely wasn't right. From what she had heard, Eren was this energetic kid with the mannerisms of a puppy. Perhaps the infection was taking a different turn? 

She watched the syringe fill up slowly and only when it was full did she pull it out carefully, wiping the surface where the injury had healed within seconds. Eren brought his arm back down. 

“Levi is with Mikasa.” Hanji told him while she straightened up. “I need to get going before he does anything stupid, but as soon as I get to the headquarters I will analyse this and get back with the results.” She waited for Jean to open the door and when he did, she quickly stepped out. He locked the door again. 

“Please do.” Eren spoke up, a small smile pulling up at his lips. “I have to sit around here all day and listen to horse face over there. It's a torture.” 

“Hey! You-” 

“I will.” Hanji reassured him. “And Eren?” He looked up at her just before she walked out of view. “Levi really loves you.” She whispered. 

“I doubt it.” 

She smiled to herself. “You'll see.” 

~~*~~*~~

“The plan is simple. We get into the tunnels and search the whole of underground if he have to; we can't leave with the Rogues remaining alive.” Levi rode in a gallop, hiking his body up higher and leaning forward slightly. The black wolf ran alongside his horse, before giving him a half-growl half-whimper which he took for agreement. 

After Levi had made it clear that breaking Eren out was a plan that was in the making, Mikasa had calmed down and became rather intrigued. He knew she would definitely take part, even if it cost her her own life. She was, after all, indebted to Eren; a life for a life. 

The first step however, was revenge. And he was planning to find the Rogues who killed his squad member, making sure their deaths were bloody. He shared the plan with the wolf and was met with a growl of impatience, which actually kind of comforted him. 

Sure, he didn't like Mikasa. They had their differences after all, and yeah, she was probably in love with his mate. But could he blame her? No. And getting some help and company from somebody who probably felt just as strongly about Eren as he did was kind of comforting, and just right. 

He got off the horse, pulling his hood further down his face to not bring attention to himself. Walking over to the entrance, he cursed under his breath as he was met with two lycan soldiers. Behind him, Mikasa growled lightly. 

“Entrance isn't allowed.” One of the lycans told him. 

“I'm sure we can do something about that.” He lifted his hood up slightly, flashing his red eyes towards the lycans. Their eyes widened, clearly recognising Levi for who he was; most people knew his face, after all. 

They stepped back without a word and Levi walked down the stairs, Mikasa following. Levi didn't expect to find anything, but he was hoping. After all, he did probably know these tunnels better than anybody else. He did have a rebellious teenage phase at some point, after all. 

“I bet you're one of the people who would suggest splitting up.” Levi murmured, looking around the tunnels. Darkness ruled over the tight space and he scanned every little dent quickly, working out whether using the 3DMG was even a possibility. It was possible, but it would be of little help. He would also need quite a skill to do that; he probably possessed it, but it was still a lot of work. 

Mikasa growled behind him, her paw coming up for a split second to shove at his hip, making him chuckle and stumble slightly to the side. 

“Even if we do break Eren out...” Levi started slowly. “You do realise he's going to be on the run, right? For a few days, that is.” Levi sighed, looking out into the darkness ahead. “I hardly think even your obsessive desire to be by his side will make you crazy enough to be by him when he turns Rogue.” 

Something he said, however, made him frown. “I don't mean to make fun of your dependence on him. I'd be a hypocrite.” He told her quietly, to which she made a huffing sound, as if agreeing. “I'm sorry for what happened to your family, by the way. But not all vampires are the same.” He pointed out, to which she growled low. 

“Yeah, I didn't exactly give you a reason to trust me, huh?” He chuckled, shaking his slightly. “Well, whatever you think about me, we have the same goals.” He spoke up again. 

He stopped in his footsteps, his eyes narrowing at a small tunnel going off to the side. He cast a glance towards Mikasa before he turned into it, walking through it. He blinked his eyes, red casting over the usual grey pupils and the darkness became clearer. 

His hand tensed slightly, just waiting for a small movement to confirm his suspicions. He couldn't smell anything apart from the usual sewer-like smell that hung in the tunnels. Turning into yet another tunnels, he sighed and turned sideways, realising how tight the space had gotten. 

Mikasa growled behind him and he frowned, seeing the tunnel was a dead end. Turning around, something glimmered back at him and he stopped. A sudden thought came to him; there were many times he had escaped into the tunnels, trying to avoid the Garrison soldiers coming after him and his friends. Back then they were like, twelve of course, which made crawling around this place easier. Then again, not that he grew much since then. 

He almost high-fived himself as he snorted at his own joke. Hanji would be proud. 

He continued into the dead end tunnel, with Mikasa grumbling behind him unhappily and clearly with impatience. He reached the end of the tunnel and paused, carefully scanning over the wall. His fingers ran over the dents in the wall patiently, murmuring to himself in a continuous litany of 'come on.'

He found something and smirked, pressing at the softer bit of stone. He took a step back, casting a small glance towards Mikasa before he brought his foot up and slammed it into that exact bit of the wall. They both watched the wall crack before falling back as one big piece. 

Levi pushed at the wall opening and looked towards Mikasa. She rolled her eyes at the victorious grin on his face. He stepped through the hole, watching as Mikasa followed and just about fit through. The tunnel looked exactly as it did everywhere else, except there was no way to follow. There was a drop down. 

Without a second though, Levi jumped through the hole and fell down. He landed perfectly on his two feet, his knees bending instinctively as he shuffled off the dust on his jacket with a grumble. He heard Mikasa whine from above him and called back to her, saying it was okay to calm down. 

He turned away as she dropped down in her human form, naked and confident. They only exchanged a gaze before she was standing as a wolf again. Levi turned away and followed down the hall. They were definitely on the right track. 

It was after a few minutes of walking that he became confused. They reached a dead end. “What the fuck is this about?” He growled, kicking at the tunnel wall. 

Mikasa, however, stepped forward, scratching at something on the wall. When he looked over, he realised what she was pointing out. This hallway wasn't supposed to be here. 

There were claw marks all across the hallway, creating uneven walls. The hallway had not been here. Starting from the moment they dropped down, somebody had clawed their way through the thick concrete and created this hallway. Mikasa pointed out the continuous claw marks. They were making this hallway longer. 

“Why the fuck would they break in just to dig underground?” Levi spoke outloud. “I get that they're dogs, but this is just going too far...” His eyes looked over the wall slowly before he picked at his belt and brought his compass out. He opened it and watched the arrows swivel for a second before he understood. 

“They're digging towards the wall.” He announced. “They're trying to create a path under the wall.” Levi put the compass away and walked over to the wall again, his fingers ghosting over the concrete. “This is bad...” He muttered. “We have to go back and tell everyone. We need to get a crew on this immediately.” 

Mikasa growled, clearly agreeing. Besides, who knew if there weren't more of these tunnels? They could dig a few different ways for the shortest way to the wall, after all. 

Mikasa suddenly nudged him with her tail, a growl ripping through her lungs as her body tensed, fur standing on its end and making her seem almost double in size. She was slightly smaller than Eren, which was kind of impressive. 

He turned and his eyes narrowed at two figures walking through the darkness. He blinked and took a closer look. They were both men, if he could call them that. They didn't look to be much older than eighteen. 

The first had short blond hair with gold eyes glimmering in the darkness. His broad shoulders gave him an intimidating presence and Levi couldn't help but notice the scar at the side of his face in the shape of claw marks. 

The other was tall and slender, unlike his muscled companion. Dark hair paired with green eyes that shone in the darkness, darker than Eren's Levi noted, he looked uncomfortable compared to his friend. Although, at the smell in the air, Levi wasn't sure whether they were just friends. 

“You smell just like him.” The blond one spoke up, his voice deep and gruff. “But you're not him.” 

Levi frowned at the words, trying to understand them. The two were lycans, and there was not a doubt in his mind that these were the two lycans he had chased down into the tunnels, the very same ones that had impressed him with their team work. His hands tensed, already grabbing for his blade. This wasn't going to be easy. 

The blond smirked, his eyes flicking over the gear. “His mate, then.” He spoke, chuckling slightly. Were they...talking about Eren? How were they connected to Eren? It was then his smile disappeared as recognition glazed over his eyes. “He's the one who cut you.” He murmured, addressing the other lycan, grabbing his arm lightly and looking down at the bandage neatly wrapped around. 

Mikasa growled, stepping forward, snarling, her jaws snapping in a threatening manner. 

“Where's your friend?” Levi snarled, his teeth coming down instincively. He could smell the distant smell of infected blood which was the only reason he still had for knowing they came from outside the walls. Everything else seemed normal. “And what the fuck is your deal? You're not infected.” 

Mikasa, however, seemed to get tired of the talking. She started forward, powerful paws hitting the ground as she covered the ground between them and attacked the taller, leaner of the two. She was clever; she knew perfectly well they were mates, and attacking the weaker one would weaken the stronger one. 

Levi didn't have much time to react. The tall lycan had embraced the impact, letting them both tumble back for a second before he was shifting, his wolf form appearing more and more between each tumble. By the time they stopped, with Mikasa on top, Levi's eyes widened. The lycan's wolf form was huge, almost twice the size of Mikasa's and he pushed at her almost lazily with his paw, shoving her off. The burgundy furred wolf then stood up and looked ahead quietly again. 

He turned to look at his mate, but did nothing. His mate, however, nodded and within seconds he was in his wolf form, the white wolf snarling and pouncing towards Mikasa. He was around Mikasa's size, with the exception of his shoulders being wider.

This was when Levi knew he had to intervene. While Mikasa held her own against the white wolf, the other had been slowly making his way towards Levi and there was a momentary panic there as Levi wondered what to do. 

He drew his blades, his knees bending and his teeth gritting in a threatening display. He was at a disadvantage in the small space but he quickly realised he had one advantage over the wolf: he was quicker. 

The giant wolf's jaws snapped at him and without hesitation he swung his blades, flipping back and out of danger as he did. He quickly remembered that the wolf was infected, and not indulging any of his blood was an important step. 

The wolf pounced again but Levi had managed to dodge him to the side, his blades parring the claws swiping at him. It was hard for the wolf to manoeuvre in the tight tunnel. His foot kicked at the wolf's muzzle, making it growl and snap his jaws forward, almost catching Levi in the arm. 

He heard Mikasa whimper in the distance and hoped she was clever enough to remember that they were infected, to some extent. He also hoped she wouldn't die; he would have smaller chances of winning this battle and Eren would be pissed, if he lived to find out. 

The wolf snapped again and Levi let a hiss through his teeth as the the wolf's jaws closed around his arm, teeth sinking into skin. The wolf snarled and shook his head slightly, this time making Levi yell at the skin ripping with torturous pain shooting up his body. 

He brought his blade up and with the strength he could muster, he pierced it at whatever skin he could reach. It pierced through the fur on the wolf's shoulder and the animal whimpered, instantly pulling back. In the background, Levi heard the other wolf whimper in pain in reply and the realisation struck him: the two wolves were blood bound. 

But even so, he knew they wouldn't be able to take on the wolves. Levi's strength lay in the 3DMG, after all. But he still needed to come up with the plan to get out of there, all while his arm pulsed with pain, blood dribbling steadily to the ground. 

His eyes scanned over the surroundings quickly as he dodged another one of the wolf's attempts to attack him. And he saw his opening. This was probably the only chance he would get. 

The wolf's long paws put him at a disadvantage. Levi used his 3D manoeuvring gear then. The hooks shot out either side of the wolf, into the two opposite walls and Levi acted quickly, letting the gas propel him forward. He got into the position and used more gas than necessary to keep the friction to a minimum as he slid across the ground, right under the wolf. 

At the same time, he brought his blades up and pierced them through the wolf's stomach, creating a neat line of red before the blood started spilling. The injury was serious, and the other wolf howled in pain at the same time, leaving Mikasa behind to tend to his mate. 

Levi straightened and ran ahead, away from the wolves, whistling for Mikasa to follow. He stopped right under the hole they had dropped from, looking up. The white wolf was watching them again, pouncing forward to attack just as Mikasa reached Levi. The hooks shot up. 

“Shift!” He yelled to Mikasa, his hand firmly grabbing the fur on her stomach and making her whimper slightly. He didn't waste time then. The gas propelled him up, dragging Mikasa behind painfully and dodging the white wolf just in time. 

She shifted just in time, her bare body against him and he wrapped his arm tight around her waist, pulling them up to where they came from. Once there, he let Mikasa go to the ground and propelled himself up even higher, hanging onto the ceiling, upside down. 

Then, he stabbed his blades right into the tough solid under his feet, hearing them crack with effort. “Get out!” He yelled to Mikasa, who quickly nodded and got out through the hole they had found in the dead end tunnel. 

He then let himself push away from the ceiling, his body falling towards the open hole as he removed his blades from the holes they had made, crack after crack appearing in the ceiling. 

The ceiling fell then, covering the hole they had come from, as well as making pieces of debris fly everywhere. 

Mikasa stood on the other side, her dark wide eyes staring at the hole she had come out from, her hands wrapped around her own naked body. She coughed at the amount of dust in the air before forcing herself forward. “Levi!” She yelled, her wide eyes watching the ruined tunnel covered to the top with debris. 

But she got no answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the next chapter is really moving on with the plot, I promise. I'm not very subtle about things either.  
> I really enjoyed writing this chapter but that's cause I got to introduce my power couple and ugh, I love them so much. And Hanji interacting with Eren who is just a puppy right now ugh  
> So the last chapter didn't receive the usual feedback, and I understand since it was just kind of a filler but if you ever find anything being unclear or you don't like it or you just think it's plain stupid, tell me. I want to make the story perfect for you guys.  
> Thanks to everyone commenting and leaving kudos! I really appreciate all of you guys, you're amazing!  
> Also, I've been getting a lot of questions about blood-bonding. Blood-bonding is the last stage of the Etch. In this chapter you got to see it working a bit. But, basically, the pair can choose whether to undertake blood-bonding, where they obviously exchange blood. The main objective of the Etch is to push people towards blood-bonding, but you don't have to be blood-bound even if you're mates. Blood-bonding creates a bond between your souls. If one gets hurt, the other feels it except not as badly as the initial wound. Also, blood-bonding affects ageing. Lycans age normally so blood-bonding doesn't affect their ageing at all but for vampires, who are immortal, and vampire/lycan couples it's a big deal. Vampires who are blood-bound will continue to age normally. That is why many don't want to be blood-bound because that leaves them a normal amount of time to live, like humans and lycans. Hope that clears up a few things.  
> Thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Call Marco, call Hanji, call someone! I don't fucking care! But if you can't let me out, just make fucking sure my mate is okay!” Eren growled, his fists clenching harder.

Hanji's lab was a place which never ceased to amaze and disgust Moblit at the same time. Every time he came in, there would be a new pile of mess to attend to, or another spillage or yet another pile of rubbish; needless to say, Hanji didn't care for safety hazards. 

There were also the multiple amazing machines which Moblit had always admired. They seemed to be able to detect and diagnose anything and with Hanji standing behind them, the team was unstoppable. The equipment was next to none. 

This time, however, the mess wasn't as bad as he would expect it to be. Nevertheless, the area still had an aura of professionalism mixed with the stench of something moulding. He had hurried down to hallways to deliver the news which could be deemed important, no matter if there wasn't actual evidence. 

“Hanji, we have a problem.” He burst through the door after a short knock, but when he received no answer he deemed this was important enough to have permission to just go in anyway. 

“Holy dildo on a stick!” Hanji murmured to herself in reply. She ignored Moblit, as she often did when she was busy with work, and continued looking into the microscope in front of her. 

Moblit frowned. “Technically, you can't use the word 'dildo.'” He pointed out. “You lost a bet with Corporal Levi that one time, remember?” He shook his head, realising he was getting sidetracked. “Which reminds me: this is really important.” 

Hanji squealed then, moving away from the microscope with a massive grin on her face. “This is amazing, Moblit!” She exclaimed, still completely unfocused. “I've never seen anything like it!” 

Moblit furrowed his eyebrows, suddenly intrigued and forgetting what he had arrived here to say. “What is it?” He pointed to the tube filled with red liquid which Hanji held. 

“It's Eren's blood.” She stated with a manic grin, looking up at him from her experiment. “I'm diagnosing it.” 

He came forward slightly. “What did you find?” 

“It's absolutely amazing!” Hanji breathed, her eyes wide and her smile bordering on psychotic. “His red blood cell count is higher than I've ever seen in my life.” She put the test tube down safely and spun around happily before returning to the microscope. “Hell, it's so high, it should be considered completely impossible!” She laughed. “And get this!” She exclaimed, waving her hand for Moblit to come forward. 

He walked over, avoiding any rubbish along the way before Hanji eagerly pushed his head down to look through the microscope lens. He looked through, watching the cells move; he did only have a basic knowledge of biology. 

“I don't see anything unusual.” He admitted as he pulled away. 

“Exactly!” Hanji pointed at him excitedly. “Eren was infected. These cells should be dead, or dying in a best case scenario.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” 

“It seems that his body had somehow fought off the infection.” Hanji simplified and Moblit's eyes widened at the simple conclusion. “Even when I look closely, I can only see traces of it. It's slowly but surely all dying out. His blood is almost as pure as it should be.” 

“So...” Moblit started carefully. “Eren isn't infected?” He concluded. “That's no possible.” 

“No!” Hanji agreed with a laugh. “And yet, here it is!” She happily laughed again, grabbing Moblit's hands and bringing them up in a celebratory gesture as she cheered. “This is absolutely amazing! I have never seen anything like it in all my years! I have to let Erwin and Pixis know!” Her eyes widened suddenly and she gasped, slapping Moblit across the arm as realisation struck her. “I need to tell Levi!” 

It was then Moblit remembered what his initial reason for coming here was. “There is something you should know.” He told her quickly before she could proceed. 

“What is it, Moblit?” She asked, rolling her eyes. “You're totally ruining the mood.” 

“One of the underground tunnels collapsed.” Moblit stated. “It's possible Corporal Levi was there. We have no proof as of yet, but nobody has seen his around and we have two Garrison soldiers who testified that they have seen him entering the tunnels.” 

Hanji's eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock. She slapped his arm again. “Why the hell didn't you tell me sooner!?” 

~~*~~*~~

“Open the fucking cell, Jean!” 

“Yeager, I told you: I'm not allowed.” Jean replied, his tone bored as he rolled his eyes and walked over again, stopping in front of Eren's cell and leaning on the wall, staring ahead at the other lycan. 

“You don't understand.” Eren growled, his teeth gritting and his fists clenching as he stood the closest he could get to the bars. “Something is wrong, Jean.” 

“Look, just calm down and don't make a scene. Creating a scene will only bring in more guards.” Jean replied simply, crossing his arms over his chest and letting his eyes drift over to look at the other cells lined in a row. 

“Jean, I need to get out.” Eren growled again. “My skin is fucking burning. It's coming from the inside. And something is wrong; I feel it in my chest and it's pressing down and it's hard to breathe.” He rambled in one breath, gritting his teeth harder. 

This wasn't anything to do with him. He was almost sure the feeling was to do with Levi, and that was what worried him even more. But how could he be sure? They weren't blood-bound, so he wouldn't be able to feel whatever Levi was physically feeling.

“This might be to do with the Rogue blood.” Jean pointed out, his voice softening as realisation struck; he might not have been Eren's biggest fan, but it's not like he wanted the guy dead. 

“No.” Eren disagreed. “Just do something, Jean.” He growled, feeling his teeth sharpen. 

“What the hell do you want me to do?!” 

Eren stepped forward, his hands clenching around the silver bars and Jean immediately straightened, already smelling the stench of burning skin as the silver burned at the lycan's hands. “Call Marco, call Hanji, call someone! I don't fucking care! But if you can't let me out, just make fucking sure my mate is okay!” Eren growled, his fists clenching harder. 

“Eren, let go.” Jean hissed, stepping forward. “You'll hurt yourself, stupid.” He added in a hiss. 

Eren, however, didn't. It was only when Jean neared and decided to take Eren's hands off himself that Eren acted, his hand shooting out through the silver bars and grabbing Jean by the shirt, his hand fisting the material. “Do it.” He growled, his eyes glowing a vibrant teal-green in the darkness. 

Jean shoved his hand away, watching as Eren stepped away from the bars and tensed his hands slightly before turning away. Jean sighed and turned away, walking down the hallway to the telephone. The kid was fucking insane. 

~~*~~*~~

“Hanji, that's impossible.” 

“That's what I thought!” Hanji exclaimed quickly, hurrying her steps to match Erwin's. “But it's true, Erwin! I swear on my life!” Erwin paused momentarily, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. 

“Do you have proof?” 

“Have you met me?” She sneered. “Of course I have proof.” 

“Very well.” He replied, a silent sight leaving his lips. She predicted he was getting slightly impatient with her; there was also the issue of time being against them right now. They have sent multiple squads in search for Levi, but nothing and nobody have been found yet. “There's a meeting in two hours. All the important people will be there. Be ready to present what you have found out.” 

Hanji grinned, almost jumping in her spot. “You won't regret this, Erwin!” She exclaimed happily. “I can save Eren.” 

“I hope you can.” Erwin murmured, his thick eyebrows furrowing momentarily. Hanji frowned and sighed, knowing perfectly well this wasn't about Eren. She knew Erwin long enough to know that inside, there had always been a part of him that hoped Levi was his mate; now that he knew for sure, it must have felt horrible. But it's not like Levi was blind to it; he saw it, he just didn't return any of those feelings. Especially after what happened to Erwin's previous mate. And losing Eren, would mean losing Levi. 

“Commander!” A voice called from behind them. “Commander Smith!” They both turned at the voice and spotted one of the soldiers running down the hallway, heading their way. The man stopped, out of breath and allowed himself to breathe before he spoke. “There's a wolf on our grounds. Unauthorised entry.” He breathed. 

Erwin turned to Hanji and raised an eyebrow, turning and walking down the hallway to the main entrance. Hanji followed behind, her hand at her blade in case anything happened. For lycans, shifting on the grounds of the vampire headquarters was illegal, unless authorised.

Opening the door into the darkening sky, Erwin stepped forward. The front yard was surrounded by walls, soldiers positioned on top now ready to intervene if anything were to happen. He spotted the black wolf standing in the middle, surrounded by three vampires with guns.

The black wolf growled continuously at each of the soldiers, but did not make a move to attack. The wolf's head turned and focused on Erwin and Hanji and the snarl died out quickly before it whimpered slightly, drooping, tired eyes staring at them. 

Erwin stepped forward but Hanji stopped him with a hand at his shoulder. “That's Mikasa.” She spoke, now straightening. “She was with Levi.” Hanji rushed forward, her steps quickly turning into a run as she pushed past one of the solders and approached Mikasa. 

And then she understood why the soldiers had tried to approach the wolf with carefulness. Atop Mikasa's back, mixed in with the dirty black fur was a person. 

Fists weakly clenched into the fur, Levi's breathing was slow and deep, his eyes clenched tight against the warmth Mikasa's body radiated. Hanji's eyes widened and she stepped forward quickly. “Levi!” She whispered, her hand coming up to shake his shoulder. 

Mikasa whimpered again. Hanji nodded, turning to the other soldiers. “Put your damn guns away! Are you stupid?” She exclaimed, her hands carefully wrapping around Levi. She could smell his blood in the air, and a quick look over him told her that there were definitely some broken bones, whereas others simply bruised. “Help me carry him inside!” She yelled to them and watched them scatter. 

“It's fine.” Erwin's voice came. He stepped up. “I'll help. Get back to your posts.” Hanji looked up to Erwin and soundlessly let him pick up Levi, effortlessly carrying Levi's much smaller form by himself. Levi groaned in pain at the movement, but his eyes remained closed. Hanji distinctly heard him mutter something, a word which sounded a lot like 'Eren.' 

Watching Erwin begin walking towards the building, Hanji turned to Mikasa. “Thank you.” She told her, her hand coming up hesitantly to gently pet Mikasa's head. The wolf leaned into the touch. “You better come inside. You need rest and there are some things we have to speak about anyway.” 

~~*~~*~~

Whimpers caught between the debris, a gentle clawing sound echoing throughout the walls that still stood. A pile began moving and a wolf pawed his way out, his burgundy fur dirty and dusty. The giant wolf straightened, nose working in the air to try and sniff out the smell of his mate, whimpering lightly once he caught it. 

He limped forward over the rocks before he froze. There was the smell of vampires and lycans in the air and he knew well they were not friendly. He would have to work fast or they could be found. 

He scratched at the rocks, his claws moving piece after piece out of the way before he spotted a patch of white fur wedged between two of them. Nosing his way through the rest of the rocks, he gently grabbed at his mate's fur and pulled him out, laying the white wolf out on the rocks. 

The white wolf stirred, whimpering, red patches mixing in with the white fur before he leaned up slightly, his tongue coming out to gently lick at his mate's muzzle. 

“Reiner! Bertholdt!” A familiar voice called out and the bigger wolf growled at the loud noise stupidly echoing the halls. When a girl emerged from behind the wall, his snarling had ceased and he turned away from her, whimpering to his mate again to make sure the other was okay. 

Blonde hair pulled into a short ponytail, the vampire made her way over to them. He realised then why she wasn't worried about the amount of noise she was making; blood stained her hands and mouth and her eyes were still glowing red in the darkness. 

“I can't leave you two alone for a few hours without you doing something stupid.” The girl hissed, grabbing her bag and pulling out a change of clothes before throwing them at the wolves. “Get dressed. We don't have time.” She added quickly, looking back to where she came from. 

The wolves shifted then, returning to their human forms as they began getting dressed. Reiner took longer, his body bruised and a deep cut to the right of his chest, blood dribbling down the skin. 

“What the hell made you come out anyway?” 

“We thought we smelled him.” Reiner admitted. “Smelled just like him.” 

Annie rolled her eyes at the statement. “Eren Yeager was released from the prison an hour ago.” She stated. “He couldn't have been here.” She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “They found out he's immune. They're still keeping it secret, though.” 

“That's good, right?” Bertholdt spoke up quietly. 

“I guess.” Annie shrugged lightly. “Who was here then?” 

“His mate.” 

Annie's eyes widened slightly. “Did you kill him?” 

Reiner rolled his eyes in return. “Do we look like we killed him?” 

Annie narrowed her eyes at the sarcasm while Reiner turned around and began walking down the hallway, away from the scene with the other two following. “He's dangerous. He chased us down here and now he found out what we're doing.” She pointed out. “Besides, taking him out would make things easier. That's Corporal Levi Ackerman; he's bound to create some issues.” 

“I agree.” Reiner replied. “But we're not going to change anything from the original plan.” He added which made Annie roll her eyes. “Just focus on getting that list of names, in whatever way you have to.” He reached out towards Bertholdt, his arm wrapping around the taller's waist and pulling him against Reiner. “Once all the Rogues get in, even Corporal Levi Ackerman won't be able to hold them off.” 

~~*~~*~~

When his eyes opened, he immediately groaned at the amount of bright light in the room, closing them again. He sighed, feeling his body react at his will again as pain returned. He had known before that there were some broken bones, but he had expected them to hurt less. Perhaps healing was taking slightly longer than he would have liked it to. 

When his eyes opened, he quickly scanned his surroundings again. He knew this place, but when he made a full scan of the room, only then did his eyes stop on something particular. 

The boy beside him sat in a chair, his elbows leaned on the edge of the bed. One of his hands was perched up, his fingers softly skimming the side of Levi's face in gentle caresses dedicated only for the lovers. His hair was messy, wide eyes tired but nonetheless, there was a beautiful smile on his face. 

“Fuck.” Levi groaned, closing his eyes for a moment. “Hanji's gonna be pissed that I died.” He murmured. “How the fuck I ended up in heaven is what I'm wondering myself.” He added quickly, his eyes opening and settling on the teal-green orbs of the other. 

“You're alive and fine.” The boy murmured. “Hanji is pissed though; apparently you acted really stupidly.” A grin cracked on his lips. “Can't say I disagree.” 

“Eren?” Realisation struck him and he immediately sat up, looking around the empty room in panic. They were definitely in Levi's bedroom but there was nobody else to be seen. “What are you doing here?” He whispered, his voice panicked. 

Eren paused for a moment before he chuckled and a grin spread over his face; his hand stopped the movements and he leaned back in the chair. “We really owe Hanji a lot.” He stated. “While you were on your suicidal mission, she visited me and got a blood sample.” Levi perked up, intrigued to where this was heading. “She...She did a lot. She said there's not a trace of the infection in my blood.” Eren grinned sheepishly again. 

“That's not possible.” Levi breathed. “Don't fuck with me, Eren.” 

“Wow. And I thought we were doing well and heading in that direction...” 

“Eren.” 

“She presented her findings at an important meeting and I was allowed to leave. I'm the first case they have; I may be immune.” 

Levi remained frozen for a moment, blinking slowly, his mouth opening and closing in silent sentence starters before he brought his other hand up. He pinched at the skin on his forearm and Eren raised his eyebrows in entertainment. “Just checking.” Levi murmured. 

He could still feel the pain in his body, but now that he received the great news something warm overcame him and he couldn't help the smile slowly spreading over his lips. He realised now was as good of a moment as any. 

So he leaned forward, grabbing the back of Eren's head, his fingers tangling in his hair and brought his face forward, clumsily bringing their lips together. 

Levi's heart fluttered in his ribcage like a trapped bird. Eren's breath was warm against his own cold lips and Levi momentarily wondered if he was too old to feel like a teenager getting his first kiss. But his chest tightened, his fist tightened in Eren's hair and his other hand came up, caressing the smooth skin of Eren's cheek. 

Eren kissed Levi back slowly but passionately while his hands itched to wrap around Levi's body, feel his skin under his fingertips. He could feel the rapid beat of Levi's heart, taste the faint taste of blood still in his mouth. He wound his hands into Levi's hair, as he'd wanted to do for a long time. Levi's hair curled around his fingers, silky and fine. His heart was hammering, and there was a rushing sound in Eren's ears, like beating wings; like the very same wings of freedom Levi usually bore on his back. 

Their lips moved together in timely motions, tongues touching and sliding: fierce, passionate, fervent. Unable to control his greedy lips, his restless hands, while, within, Eren's heart beat out the mortifying truth: this wasn't admiration, or adoration nor was it a simple crush. The kiss was fervent, still desperate—but only because it was real. One of the most honest, truthful moments they’d shared. 

“Whoa! If you want me to come back later, I can.” Hanji had walked through the door and paused in her steps, grinning from ear to ear at the sight before her. 

They pulled away so Levi could send Hanji a glare from across the room and Eren leaned back into his place, his cheeks flushed and his lips curled into one of the sweetest, heart-warming smiles Levi had ever seen. 

Levi tried to get his breathing in order again. He heard stories about a first kiss always being slow and simple, and yet that was nothing what their kiss had been like. Levi had nothing to compare it to; his own experiences were always quick and meaningless. But then again, he couldn't have expected his first kiss with Eren to be slow and simple; this had been building between them since they first saw each other, after all.

“So it's true?” Levi finally asked her. He couldn't help the relief his voice betrayed.

“Completely true.” She walked over, looking over him. She poked at his leg and he winced, hissing at her in the process. “He's completely clean. I have no idea how it happened.” She shrugged slightly. “Don't perceive this the wrong way; this is obviously better than him being infected, but unfortunately Eren, you're now doomed to be experimented on for a while.” 

“It's fine.” Eren dismissed. “Like you said: it's better than being infected.” 

“Don't get me wrong: it wasn't easy.” Hanji boasted again, a proud grin on her face. “For one, Nile was against it. He said that no wolf before had ever been immune.” She watched Eren's face straighten blankly. “Lord Balto represented the Military Police and he, like Nile, wasn't too fond of the idea.” Hanji added. “Thankfully, in the end, both Erwin and Pixis vouched for Eren's release. Pixis managed to persuade Nile, too. Something about Eren being killed if he was wrong...” She waved her hand nonchalantly. 

“What did you just say?” 

“So, we owe those two a lot. Of course, if Eren does go berserk, then both their heads and our heads are all on the line.” 

“Hanji, why did-” 

“And you!” Hanji turned to Levi again, pointing at him accusingly. “I swear to the gods, Levi, one of these days I will tie you up in a chair so you can't go and do something stupid!” 

“Sounds kinky.” 

“What the hell were you thinking?!” She exclaimed. “Not only did you endanger your life, you endangered Mikasa's!” 

Levi's eyes widened at the mention of Mikasa. “Where is she? Is she alright?” He quickly asked. 

“She's resting. She's fine.” Hanji told him. “She brought you back here unconscious. Wouldn't let anyone near you but me.” Hanji huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You're both useless right now.” She muttered. “Your leg won't heal for another two days, probably. And you're still pale as hell.” Hanji narrowed her eyes at Eren. “When's the last time you slept, kid?” 

Eren squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable. “A few days.” He muttered, to which he received outraged looks from the other two. “I couldn't! My skin was burning, it didn't let me sleep. And...” He hesitated. “I felt something was wrong, so I just couldn't.” His eyes glanced towards Levi for a moment. 

“You know what?” Hanji exclaimed suddenly. “The sexual tension is suffocating me.” She stated, bringing her hand up to her forehead dramatically. “That's it. You're both out.” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Levi spoke up, rolling his eyes while his hand sneakily crept down the bed, his fingers wrapping around Eren's hand, which made a small smile appear on the lycan's lips. 

“You're fired.” She simply replied. 

“You don't have the authority to fire me.” Levi simply replied. 

“Temporarily. Let's say you're suspended, then.” She hesitated. “Erwin was reluctant, but he agreed.” She shrugged, a victorious smirk stretching over her face. “You're going to get out of here and get some rest for a few days.” 

“Hanji, the Rogues that got in, they're-” 

“Mikasa already told us.” Hanji cut him off, to which Eren looked puzzled. “We've searched the collapsed tunnel but found nothing. However, we do have two severely wounded so they must have gotten away.”

Levi gritted his teeth. “You don't understand.” He almost growled. “They were after Eren. They only came after us because they smelt me; being his mate, it's easy to confuse.” 

Hanji momentarily remained silent. “I can see why that would be an issue.” She spoke finally. “Given Eren's situation right now, it could explain why they were after him.” 

“Wait.” Eren stopped them both. “What the hell is happening? The Rogues that got in are after me?” His eyes cast to Levi, who didn't answer. 

“Nevertheless, this doesn't change anything.” Hanji spoke up instead. “Don't think about this as a vacation. Think about it as...” She trailed off slowly. “Think about it as getting off the radar. You both need it right now.” She grinned. “You have a house up in Sina, don't you?” 

Levi rolled his eyes. “You already know that I do.” He grumbled. 

“Great.” Hanji exclaimed, reaching into her pocket and bringing out a pair of keys. She threw them and Eren caught them before they hit Levi in the face, since one of Levi's hands was still wrapped around Eren's and the other was bandaged up. “Have fun!” 

They both stared as she almost skipped away. “Oh, right.” She paused and turned around. “It's not exactly a vacation. If something goes down, you'll be notified and expected to be there. And I'll need Eren here tomorrow for an experiment.” 

“Right.” Levi murmured. 

“But other than that, have fun.” She spoke again before turning to look at Eren and winking. “I hear Levi makes a mean breakfast in bed.” 

And it was a good thing she turned around and ran out the door because Levi had grabbed a knife off the nearby table and threw it, perfecting the shot right into the door that Hanji had left through.

The knife vibrated, stuck in the door and they heard Hanji laugh maniacally down the hallway. Eren laughed lightly and Levi couldn't help but let a smile crack on his face. 

Things were far from being good and over, but for now, he could pretend that they were. He just needed Eren by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't like how the last bit came out. But, yeah, here it is. The next chapter is gonna be a bit more chilled back, I think. So it's gonna take me a while since my speciality is action, not fluff.  
> Ugh, I wish I could draw. I have so many damn scenes in my head that I feel like I need them on paper. It really annoys me tbh  
> Omg Free ended, Tokyo Ghoul ended, The Intern ended; what am I supposed to do with my life now? Oh wait, the hundreds of essays I have set will probably keep me busy.  
> Thank you guys for the continuous support you give this story. Every time I read a comment, no matter how small, I just grin like an idiot. Thanks for following me on [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/) and actually liking stuff and reblogging stuff and posting in the story tag, which is fic: etch.  
> So, you know for sure who the Rogues are, though I wasn't very subtle about them. #Reibert 4ever. You'll get to hear their back stories at some point, too. I love Eren and Jean interacting, okay. I secretly ship EreJean but shhh, don't tell anyone. And I absolutely love Hanji, because she's just the queen, okay. Oh, and if you've ever read any of my other stories, you'll quickly come to realise that Levi is somehow connected to Erwin in a relationship every single time. That's my thing.  
> Also, I know this note has been completely damn too long, but can I ask you guys a favour? I have a new story called [One Life](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2353892/chapters/5193725), so I would be grateful if you could check it out and tell me what you think :) There's no vampires and no werewolves and no supernatural in it. It's a modern au and it's both fluffy and heartbreaking at the same time. I'm like 80% sure I'll continued it.  
> Thank you so much!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi let the corners of his mouth curl up slightly. Not at the stupid jokes Eren was telling, but at the pure happiness and radiance Eren's face displayed.

Eren was trailing beside him, his eyes watching him like a hawk while Levi took each step slowly. Hanji was right, his leg would take some time to heal, and there was still some bruising on his chest which needed to be tended to. Hanji did say he had begun with internal bleeding, and both that and the healing of his leg would create possible issues within the next day or so.

One of Levi's arms was wrapped around Eren's waist, since he was embarrassingly too short to fling it over Eren's shoulders casually. His other hand held a bouquet of flowers, and he was intending to use them. 

Pausing in front of the door, Levi sighed, his eyebrows furrowing. “Can you wait here?” He murmured to Eren, to which the lycan replied with an understanding nod. “I won't be long. We'll then stop by to get that damn wolf of yours and we can be on our way.” 

Eren smiled slightly at the mention of Midnight and Levi couldn't help the corners of his lips twitching. He had been nagging about the lack of the little wolf's presence for the past two hours or so. “I was going to see Mikasa.” Eren replied finally. “Are you going to be okay?” He looked over Levi quickly, his gaze worried. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “I'm old, not disabled.” He sneered. 

Eren grinned. “You're right.” He shrugged. “I'll see you soon, old man.” He waved dramatically and turned around, still grinning to himself as he walked down the hallway. Levi rolled his eyes and the smile slowly faded from his lips. It was easy to pretend like nothing was wrong with Eren around. 

He knocked on the door, awaiting an answer from the other side. When he stood there for s few minutes without an answer, he sighed and opened the door, hoping she would be asleep. 

He almost felt a bit of his heart crack as he walked into the room and spotted her straight away. Petra was sat curled up on the bed, her head buried in her knees and her arms wrapped around herself. Her shoulders shook once in a while, but he didn't hear her crying.

“Hey, Petra..” He trailed off, but she didn't look up at him. It was almost as if she hadn't heard him. He looked down at the ground and stepped forward again, walking further into the room. “I brought you flowers.” He murmured, setting down the flowers on a table. “You always did like flowers.” He sighed. 

When he received no answer, he took a seat a bit further down from the bed. Clasping his hands together and leaning forward, he frowned. “You probably hate me, I understand that. I would hate me too.” He murmured. “It's my fault. I wasn't there. As the captain of the squad, I should have been there. That was my duty, and I failed at it.” 

His voice cracked slightly. “And I'm sorry. And I know my apology does shit nothing, but I want you to know that I'm sorry.” He cleared his throat and looked up at Petra. “And I don't know how you feel, I hope I won't have to, any time soon. And I know this is going to be a cruel request to make of you...” His fists clenched. “But I need you to get out of this. You can't be like all the other examples out there. You're stronger than that. You're strong and independent and...” He hesitated. “You're one of the very few people who doesn't put up with my bullshit and keeps me sane.” 

Petra said nothing. 

“So, this might be selfish.” He murmured again. “But I won't let you spiral into craziness, or hell, die. You're not that kind of a person and I won't let you start behaving like one now.” 

He stood up then, feeling like he had said too much. He murmured a quick 'bye' her way but received no response yet again so he instead just opted for leaving. When he left the room he sighed and leaned against the now closed door. His fists clenched and the guilt ate away at his heart. 

~~*~~*~~

“Any news?” 

“She hates you slightly less.” Eren admitted cheerfully, closing the door behind them and taking a seat next to Levi, perhaps slightly too close, but Levi wasn't going to be the one to disagree this time. “Sure, she still has some issues with you...” Eren murmured, shuffling in his seat so that their shoulders rubbed together. “But she's warming up.” He chuckled. “She warned me about you taking my innocence away while we're alone.” 

Eren eyed him from the corner of his eyes and he could swear he saw Levi blush for a mere second before the blush was replaced with the usual permanent scowl. “Ridiculous.” Levi commented. “If anything, you're the insatiable one here.” He pointed out to which he smirked once a blush made it's way up Eren's neck and settled on his cheeks. 

They were currently sitting in a horse-drawn carriage. Levi hated them, but Hanji had pressed the issue of his injured leg and how riding a horse would not be a good task to undertake. Eren didn't mind, but he did admit he had never ridden one anymore. As a lycan, the main means of transport were his own paws. He could outrun normal horses with ease. 

“So, why do you have a house up in Sina anyway?” Eren questioned, his hand slipping in between them and his fingers tangling with Levi's. 

“I get paid a lot. I need to use the money.” Levi shrugged. “Besides, it's nice to get away from Hanji's craziness once in a while. It's a nice and peaceful place.” Levi commented before rolling his eyes. “Except for the neighbours. Their kid drives me crazy.” 

“Then we'll get along perfectly.” Eren grinned. 

“I think you will.” Levi replied simply. “Also, the task of cooking will be left to you. Not that I actually need to eat, but you...” Levi hesitated, the difference between them coming up again. Levi lived off blood, whereas Eren lived off food that normal people ate. Eren squeezed his hand and they felt the carriage come to a stop. 

“Sir? We're here?” Moblit's voice rang out and Levi called back before Eren stood up and opened the door. 

“I'll only be a minute.” Eren promised. “Don't walk on your leg. Don't move.” Eren warned and backed out of the carriage. The door closed and he disappeared. 

This gave Levi a chance to think. What were they even doing? They were escaping reality into their own little world and that shouldn't have been as appealing to him as it was. He was a workaholic, for fuck's sake, everybody knew that. Taking time away from the job was never an option. 

Then again, he did have his 3DMG hidden in the back in case it was needed. He wouldn't be caught out of an important situation again. The Rogues might have been detected and it might have been harder for them to complete their task, but that didn't mean they would stop. They got all the way here; it would be foolish even for them to stop now. 

The door opened and Eren hurried in, the little wolf growling slightly as she was hidden under his arm. He closed the door and Levi called for Moblit to drive. Eren quickly began calming down his pet, trying to keep her quiet while the wolf scratched at Levi's leg happily, sort purrs coming from her once he pet her. Eren was adamant when it came to taking Midnight with them. He argued she was alone too much. 

The ride was long, but fortunately, Eren had found a way to quickly make the time pass. “Hey, do you know any jokes?” He spoke up. 

“Do I look like someone who knows jokes?” Levi had replied. 

Eren shrugged, grinning. “For all I know, you might be a comedian. I can picture you doing the kind of blunt, unimpressed comedy.” 

“That's my everyday speech.” 

Eren chuckled. “Exactly.” He added, his hand slowly stroking Midnight's fur, who was lying on his lap, his legs perched on the bench opposite of them in the carriage. 

“Do I even need to ask you if you know stupid jokes?” Levi huffed. 

“Of course I do!” Eren replied instantly. “Back at the barracks, we live off stupid jokes.” 

“Go on then. Give me your best shot.” 

“Okay...” Eren hesitated for a second before his eyes widened and his grin enlarged. Levi took the moment to realise just how young and innocent Eren looked when he was smiling like that. “Why did the skeleton go to the party alone?” 

“I don't know.” 

“He had 'no body' to go with him.” Levi's face remained unimpressed while Eren began giggling at his own stupid joke. “Wow. Tough crowd. You suck the life out of my jokes, Levi.” He murmured and Levi rolled his eyes. “Okay, how about this-” Eren started again. “What's the best way to carve wood?” 

Levi gave him an unimpressed look as an answer. 

“Whittle by whittle.” Eren spoke up, his chest shaking with his own chuckles. Levi let the corners of his mouth curl up slightly. But not at the stupid jokes Eren was telling, but at the pure happiness and radiance Eren's face displayed. “Why shouldn't you write with a broken pencil?” 

“I have a feeling you're going to tell me...” 

“Because it's 'pointless'!” Eren began giggling again and Levi couldn't help but chuckle as Midnight turned to look at Eren and gave him an offended look, since his whole lap was shaking with his giggles. Before he knew it, he was laughing and Eren had paused, just staring at him. 

“You're an idiot.” Levi commented teasingly, a smile plastered on his face anyway. 

“Yeah, but you're stuck with me.” He poked out his tongue and winked before his smile tightened and he looked away shyly. “Your laugh is really nice.” He commented. “You should laugh more.” 

Levi was about to ruin the atmosphere and reply that he didn't have much to laugh about these days, but then the carriage stopped and he was kind of glad for it. He spoke to Moblit briefly about Hanji while he handed Eren the keys to the house and let him smuggle Midnight in. 

Once Moblit left, Levi turned to pick up his bag but quickly realised that Eren had taken both his and his own inside already. Following Eren, Levi breathed in, finding the air to be tight and artificial since they were in the capitol. Nevertheless, he followed inside and smiled at the clean, familiar surrounding. 

“Do you clean everything so precisely?” Eren called from the kitchen and Levi followed the sound of his voice. 

“Yes.” Levi replied simply. “It's a childhood trauma thing. I don't want to depress you any further today.” He replied, walking into the kitchen and immediately his eye twitched as he watched Midnight run around and sniff everything. “She's not gonna shit all over my floor, right?” He pointed out quickly. 

Eren chuckled slightly, scratching the back of his neck. “It's possible...” He muttered. “But I'll clean it up, I swear!” 

Levi rolled his eyes. “I doubt it.” He muttered. A yawn made its way up his body and he stretched, taking off his jacket and hanging it on a hook. “I'm beat. I'm gonna head to bed.” He announced to which Eren smiled lightly. 

Levi turned and headed towards the stairs before he paused. 

He turned his head to the side slightly. “You coming?” He called to which Eren immediately straightened, his eyes widening. “Don't get ideas, brat. I'm tired.” Levi murmured to which Eren nodded quickly and followed behind him. Levi winced at the pain in his leg. “And apparently, disabled.” He huffed. 

Eren grinned and wrapped his arms around Levi's body before lifting him up. Levi protested immediately, hitting at his shoulder while Eren slipped an arm under his waist and the other under his knees before carrying him up the stairs. 

“Eren!” Levi hissed. “Put me down!” 

“Hey, I'm just being helpful.” Eren laughed. 

“This is ridiculous.” Levi frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Yeah, but you look adorable.” Eren pointed out. 

“I am not adorable. Nor am I cute or cuddly.” Levi instantly shot back. 

“Whatever you say.” Eren laughed, stopping in front of the right room. “Look at this, I'm already carrying you over thresholds.” He motioned to the doorway. “Maybe I'll get to do it for real some day.” 

Levi's eyes widened and Eren immediately blushed as the words left his mouth. They probably weren't meant to. Quickly changing the subject, Levi sneered, “What makes you think you'll be the one carrying me?” He shot back. 

Eren grinned again. “Because you're so little.” He pointed out. 

That finally got him the slap on the back of the head and he released Levi, who continued grumbling about Eren being a 'cheeky brat.' “I'm gonna go take a shower.” Levi called, grabbing his clothes. “Feel free to make yourself at home.” He added in a quieter tone before he locked the bathroom door behind him. 

He took a longer shower, making sure to scrub everything precisely as he wondered how many times he had blushed within the time span of a few hours. It was ridiculous. But being around Eren somehow put him at an ease, and that was something that he wasn't familiar with and ergo, didn't know how to control it. 

When he got out of the shower, he found Eren already under the covers of his double bed. He cringed slightly, thinking about the fact that Eren didn't take a shower but once he heard a silent snore coming from the lycan in his bed, the thought drifted away. 

He grumbled at the wolf lying cuddled up next to Eren. Levi shooed the wolf away and Midnight gave him a teasing growl before moving over on the bed. Levi crawled under the covers and sighed, not sure how to proceed. He wasn't exactly comfortable with Eren sleeping in his bed, let alone the fact that Eren was facing him, his hot breath hitting Levi now and then. 

He hesitantly brought his hand up and caressed his fingertips over Eren's smooth cheek, the smoothness that only came with youth. Eren stirred slightly, almost leaning into the touch even in his sleep. Levi smiled lightly, perching up on his elbow before he placed his lips on Eren's forehead, leaving a simple peck behind. 

He then pulled away, scowled at Midnight watching him, and turned his back to Eren, finding a space for himself on the bed. And if he deliberately moved slightly closer to Eren, seeking the warmth his body radiated, well then; nobody had to know. 

~~*~~*~~

Mikasa frowned at the soldiers passing by, joking and laughing and absolutely not paying attention to their surroundings. Her lip had already curled into a snarl before she noticed a child crying not far away, instantly becoming alert and ready to intervene. 

The child was human, crying about some nonsense like a toy, but even then, it pulled at Mikasa's heartstrings and reminded her way too much of herself. She scanned the situation from the child being pulled away by her parent to the toy lying in the street. 

She didn’t hesitate and immediately went to pick up the toy before jogging after the crying child. “Did you lose this?” She asked the child once she reached them. 

The mother of the child gave her a quick look over, the judgement in her eyes fading slowly as the little girl took the toy from Mikasa and hugged it against her chest. “Thank you!” The child grinned, crooked teeth on display and the mother hurried them both over with a quiet 'thank you.' 

Mikasa smiled lightly before straightening up. The humans would always judge them she knew that first hand. They were the protectors and saviours, but they were still freaks. That would never change. But maybe things would start changing around here. 

“That was sickeningly sweet.” Once Mikasa returned to her post, she was surprised to find a girl already standing there, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. 

With light blue, perceiving eyes the girl stared right back at her in an arrogant yet bored way. Her blonde fringe covered the side of her face and her hair was pulled into a short ponytail. She wore a Military Police uniform and the costume by itself made Mikasa roll her eyes. Then she smelled that the girl was a vampire, and she should have really predicted it through the sharp gaze that the girl held. 

“Can I help you?” Mikasa snapped in return. 

“You're a good soldier.” The girl pointed out. “Mikasa, isn't it?” 

Mikasa gave her a sharp look over. “And you are?” 

“Anna.” The girl introduced herself. 

“Is there a reason you're here?” 

“I think the question is; why are you here?” 

Mikasa frowned at the question. “What kind of a question is that?” 

“You're clearly skilled enough to be somewhere else. Why are you in the Garrison?” Anna asked her, her eyebrows furrowing. Mikasa turned away from the other girl. “Oh? Did I hit a sensitive spot?”

She did. Mikasa had been asked to join the Military Police personally by Lord Balto after she ranked first in their training. Of course, she would never join them. They were ridiculous, lazy people who only looked out for their own skin. And Eren wasn't there. She had to protect Eren; she had promised it to his mother, after all. 

“Does it matter?” Mikasa replied simply. 

“I guess not.” The girl stretched, looking around them slowly. There was an hour or so left before the sunrise. 

“What about you?” Mikasa found herself asking, suddenly intrigued. “Why did you join the Military Police?” 

The girl smirked, turning her head away from Mikasa for a second. She didn't speak for a few seconds before she sighed. “My father always wanted me to be in the Military Police.” She replied. “I trained ever since I was a kid. He was a well-respected, high-ranking member of the MP. It was only sensible that I follow in his footsteps.” 

Mikasa looked at her curiously. “You sound as if that didn't happen. You made it, didn't you?” 

Anna shook her head slightly. “Just recently, I guess.” She replied simply, keeping her gaze on the ground. “Making my father proud was a priority, but I never did. I became a thug instead and stole things for a living.” Mikasa tensed, hearing the background story. “And now that I'm here to make him proud, he's dead. Ironic, isn't it?” 

“Tragic, perhaps.” Mikasa commented simply. 

“You're Eren's...girlfriend, right?” Anna spoke up suddenly. 

Mikasa felt a blush creep up on her face quickly. “No!” She quickly denied. “I'm his friend. Eren has a mate.” She notified the girl. 

“Of course he does.” Anna laughed lightly, as if remembering. “Corporal Levi Ackerman, right?” Mikasa nodded simply. “You don't seem to be too happy about that.” Anna pointed out, shrugging slightly. “I wouldn't be either. It's a risky case.” 

Mikasa paused and turned to carefully look at Anna again. “Why do you say that?” She asked. 

“Oh?” Anna raised her eyebrows. “You don't know?” She laughed bitterly. “Why, Corporal Levi did assist Commander Erwin Smith in murdering his mate. Probably not the type of guy you would trust with a mate of his own.” 

Mikasa froze at the words. She had never heard that before. Was it possible? It was common knowledge that Erwin Smith had killed his mate, a girl quite younger than himself, but she had never heard about Levi being a part of it. “How do you know this?” Mikasa forced out through gritted teeth. Her fists clenched; if Levi was capable of helping kill somebody else's mate, what would stop him from killing Eren? 

“You can say, I've got ears where they're needed.” Anna replied mysteriously. “You care about Eren, right?” Anna asked suddenly, leaning away from the wall and straightening up. 

“Of course I do.” Mikasa snapped in return. 

Anna nodded once before turning away. “Then you should be careful.” She told her. “You don't know what Levi Ackerman is capable of.” She then proceeded to walk away, a smirk slowly stretching on her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was a quick update because the chapter just rolled out of me. Plot thickens, and there was some fluff. I hope you enjoyed the fluff because I found it adorable and I'm not a very good fluff writer. There will also be fluff in the next chapter as well as more back stories and tragic memories and OH YEAH you find out about Erwin's mate in the next chapter and just how Levi was involved with that. Also, we meet a new character in the next chapter. It's an original character and although he's not that important, I still put some research into him ;)  
> Everybody got that 'Anna' was Annie, right?  
> What else...Oh yeah! What do you guys think about the whole Petra situation? And daaaaaaamn what's Annie planning? ;)  
> I don't even know how long this story is going to be. Every time I think I might be getting to the main issue at hand, there seem to be new ideas springing into my mind.  
> Thank you guys for the amazing comments and the amazing amount of kudos! Thanks to anyone reblogging story posts on Tumblr or even liking them. Also, thanks for reading and commenting on One Life, those of you that did. Thanks for the response!  
> I love you all!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was quickly understanding that Eren was becoming the most important thing in his life, even if he didn't admit it out loud.

The sun peaked over the horizon and Levi stirred, scrunching his eyes against the bright rays and grumbling slightly before trying to dig his face further into the covers. Vampires were creatures of the night, right? Why the hell was he so used to waking up in the morning, then? 

And the answer to that question lay right beside him. 

Eren stirred in his sleep, snoring lightly before the sound ceased and Levi concluded that Eren was awake. Hushed whispers sounded and Eren's pet made her way through the covers up the bed, seeking love and attention that Eren would surely give her. Realising that this was a simple waste of time, Levi huffed and turned his head sideways, looking at Eren. 

“Good morning,” Eren murmured, smiling down at him, his voice full of sleep. It might have been one of the most wonderful things Levi had ever heard. 

“Morning,” Levi replied, his eyes closing for a few more seconds before he sighed and opened them fully. “If that damn dog had a shit somewhere, you're dead, Yeager.” He murmured, scrunching his nose at an unfamiliar smell in the house. 

Eren's eyes widened but he grinned nonetheless before leaning down, his head level with Levi's and pressing a kiss to his jawline. Levi ignored his comment about morning breath for a moment before he shuffled away slightly, his nose scrunching again. “Cute.” Eren commented. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “If you think I'm cute now, I'm about to be fucking adorable.” He stretched and Eren took the opportunity to watch, unashamedly, as Levi's fingers twined together and his arms stretched over his head. The sheets covering him slipped down to his belly button, exposing muscled skin which contrasted with the way he scrunched up his face like a little kid. 

“Hey, Levi?” Eren murmured, his hand petting the little wolf but his eyes remained focused on Levi. Levi hummed in an answer. “Can you just whine to me about it later?” Eren asked and Levi raised an eyebrow, about to ask what the hell the kid meant by that, but then Eren leaned down and kissed him. 

Lying there now, Eren smiled into the kiss at the memory of their previous, fast paced and furious. His mind rushed back to the kiss on a cheek Eren had so cheekily given Levi before any drama even had time to occur. He cherished them all, even the completely opposite soft, slow kisses they were currently exchanging. A part of him hoped they would have many more mornings like this together. 

“Eren,” Levi hissed and pulled away, his eyes narrowing. “You didn't even shower last night and now you're kissing me before you even brushed your teeth.” He scolded. He pointed his finger, poking at Eren's shoulder. “You're stepping over the line, kid.” 

Eren grinned nonetheless. “Can't wait to hear about this childhood trauma which turned you into such a neat freak.” Eren teased lightly before setting up and stretching. “Fine. I'll go.” He added as he got out of the bed and stood up. He paused before turning around. “Oh! What are the plans for today?” 

“Well, first, you're going to clean up the shit your damn dog left on my floor.” Levi grumbled, sitting up on the edge of the bed. “And shower. Don't bother without one.” He added with a roll of his eyes. “And then?” He shook his shoulders slightly. “Whatever you wanna do, kid.” 

~~*~~*~~

“Armin!” Mikasa called, jogging down the hallway after the short blond. “We need to talk.” She said as soon as she reached him. Armin nodded, his eyes wide as he understood the tone of her voice. 

“Here.” He directed, motioning over to one of the empty classrooms they used during training. Any day now new recruits would be piling in. Once he closed the door behind them, his shoulders sagged. “What is it, Mikasa? Did something happen?” He asked quickly. 

“Armin, I think Eren might be in danger.” Mikasa stated blankly. 

Armin's eyes widened. “Danger? Why? What happened?” The questions spilled out. 

“Levi happened.”

Armin seemed to sag slightly then. “Mikasa...” He trailed off, sighing softly as he looked towards the ground. “I think you're being slightly overprotective. I know you don't trust-” 

“This isn't about trust, Armin.” Mikasa cut him off. “This is about the fact that Levi helped Erwin murder his mate.” 

Armin froze yet again, his gaze still on the ground. “This doesn't mean that-” 

“I know it doesn't mean that he would do so with Eren.” Mikasa cut him off once again. Armin had to understand how grave this was. “But it's a possibility. Levi is violent and irrational and he didn't even want a mate in the first place so who's to say-” 

“Mikasa!” Armin cut her off this time, his face firm as he spoke. “I worry too, okay.” He sighed, clasping his hands in front of him, his thumbs twiddling slightly. “Of course I worry, Eren is my best friend.” He added quickly in a mutter. “But, strangely, I do trust Levi to keep Eren safe.” 

“To keep Eren safe?” Mikasa asked outraged. “He hasn't kept Eren safe any of this time! He's done nothing to prove that he's capable of keeping Eren safe!” 

“Yes, he has.” Armin sighed, looking at her pleadingly. “And you know that.” He added, firmer. “Who told you about this, anyway?” He furrowed his eyebrows suddenly. 

“Nobody.” Mikasa quickly replied, which made Armin's eyebrows furrow further. “But, Armin, we both know Levi didn't want a mate. He had admitted it multiple times and Erwin-” 

“Levi is not like Erwin!” Armin finally spoke, his voice louder and firmer. “You didn't see it Mikasa, but I did.” He spoke, sighing and looking away. “When they told us Eren was infected. Levi sat down right beside me and spoke to me.” He explained. 

“Yes, Levi isn't the most comforting person and he's not the softest person either, but when he sat down next to me, I noticed it. He kept a blank face and remained impassive but there was something in his eyes which told me he was breaking apart inside. And that is why I don't think Levi could ever be a threat to Eren. He hated seeing Eren hurt, and the thought of losing Eren was tearing him apart.” 

Mikasa stared at him, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly ajar, trying to form words. None came and she looked away, clenching her fists. “That doesn't mean he didn't change his mind.” She whispered. 

Armin sighed, trying to find a reasonable way to deal with this. “Don't tell Eren.” Armin told her. “I know you want to protect him, and so do I. I owe him my life, after all. But I know you, Mikasa; you'll say it in a way that Eren will misunderstand.” 

“What the hell do you want me to do then, Armin?” 

“Talk to Levi.” Armin spoke instead. “Ask him to confirm whether it's true or not.” 

“That's stupid.” Mikasa snapped. “He can easily deny it.” 

“But he won't.” Armin smiled and Mikasa raised an eyebrow at the smile she had come to recognise as a winning smile. “Because he really does care for Eren, and he will want to tell him all about it.” Armin chuckled lightly, grinning. “A little bird in the Survey Corps tells me Levi is head over heels in love with Eren.” 

Mikasa rolled her eyes. “Armin, don't try to pretend like you're friends with vampires.” She commented. “We both know you're scared of them and we both know your 'little bird' is Marco, who probably got the information from Hanji.” She replied and Armin frowned instantly. “And Hanji is not a reliable source.” 

“Just do it, Mikasa.” Armin replied, rolling his eyes. “And if you still feel like he's lying after you talk to him, then go talk to Eren.” 

Mikasa remained silent for a moment before she sighed in aggravation. “Fine.” She snapped. “But if I feel like he's lying, then I can't promise you that it will be a peaceful conversation.” 

~~*~~*~~

The day had been passing at a rapid pace, no matter how much they wished it would last longer. They had started with breakfast (courtesy of Eren) and when he wasn't busy frowning at the mess Eren left behind, Levi actually let the other feed him before they both became too flustered to even look at each other. 

Then, Midnight had decided it was play time and wouldn't leave them alone without them engaging into a playful fight with her. They chuckled and laughed before deciding they needed a rest. 

Levi had told Eren all about the outside, trying to make his descriptions as detailed as he could so that Eren would understand how fresh the air outside the wall really was, how good the change of surrounding was, how free he felt out there. 

In exchange, Eren had told him all about his training and how life in the lycan barracks differed. Afterwards, Eren discovered Levi's vast library and pouted long enough for Levi to crack and agree to the following demand. 

Which is how they ended up sitting on the bench in the back garden. Levi held a book in one hand while the other held a rolled cigarette. Eren was sprawled over the bench, his legs dangling over the edges and his head lying on Levi's lap, a rolled cigarette dangling from his own lips, as he listened to every word Levi read in his rich, deep voice. 

Twilight was near now and Eren reached up, pulling the hood down from Levi's head which received him an unamused glare. Eren grinned back nonetheless, pulling the cigarette away from his lips and blowing the smoke into the air. Tobacco was rare and expensive, but it was relaxing and therefore, a luxury. 

Levi couldn't help let a smile slip onto his face as he looked down at his mate. But there were still so many things hidden between them; no thanks to Levi's own shitty life. He didn't want this kind of barrier between them. 

He was quickly understanding that Eren was becoming the most important thing in his life, even if he didn't admit it out loud. 

“Levi! You're back!” They both looked up at the voice and Levi rolled his eyes. Eren sat up, looking over to the tall fence separating Levi's garden from other gardens. Peeking over the fence, a kid was staring back at them. 

The kid was clearly either stretching up or standing on something. He had raven black hair styled in a short haircut, the ends of his fringe clearly able to just about poke at his eyes if he threw his head a certain direction. He had a small, button-like nose and blue eyes; a light blue, like the sky on a clear summer day. A grin was etched on his face, and Eren answered with his own amused gaze. 

“Yuuki,” Levi drawled, closing his book with an annoyed huff. “I'm surprised you didn't stalk me down sooner.” Eren nudged him in the leg with a scolding look and then finished off his cigarette before standing up. 

“Yuuki, right?” Eren spoke as he walked over to the fence. “I'm Eren.” He offered his hand to which Yuuki stretched up over the fence to reach. 

“You're not a vampire, are you, Eren?” Yuuki questioned, his head cocking to the side in curiosity. Eren smiled back, sending Levi a quick look before he turned back to Yuuki. Levi rolled his eyes as Eren shifted partly, wolf ears growing out and flopping over his hair. 

Yuuki laughed and reached over, with Eren leaning on the fence so that Yuuki could get a closer look. “That's awesome!” He laughed as Eren shifted back to normal, the ears disappearing. “What are you doing with Levi? He's clearly not cool enough to hang with us.” Yuuki pointed out. 

“Listen here, kid.” Levi abandoned his book and began walking over, Yuuki's eyes widening slightly while Eren laughed lightly. 

“He's not that bad.” Eren commented, speaking to Yuuki. “And here, it's a secret,” He urged Yuuki to come closer, dramatically whispering, “He's my mate.” 

Yuuki cringed and leaned back. “Ew!” He exclaimed, his face scrunching up. “So you kiss and stuff?” He questioned. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Of course not.” He answered, his gaze turning to Eren. “I wouldn't want to get rabies.” Eren narrowed his eyes, almost as if he was accepting the challenge. 

Eren turned to the child again, “How old are you, Yuuki?” 

“I'm eleven!” Yuuki exclaimed. “Twelve, soon! And then I'm going to enlist and join the Survey Corps, like Levi!” Eren turned to look at Levi instantly but Levi shook his head slightly, telling him not to say anything. Lycans weren't allowed to join the Survey Corps, but Yuuki didn't need to know that disappointment yet. “I'm going to be Humanity's Strongest.” Yuuki announced proudly. “Levi is getting old so he won't have the title forever.” 

Levi scowled further, shooting Eren a glare when he laughed. “That sounds good.” Eren commented in exchange. 

“I know.” Yuuki grinned. “Hey, Eren? Do you maybe...” Yuuki hesitated and fidgeted with his fingers for a moment. “Do you wanna play catch with me?” 

“Don't you mean 'fetch?'” Levi murmured to which he received a look from both of them. Before he answered the question, Eren turned to look at Levi with a pleading look, almost asking permission. “Go!” Levi shrugged. “I'll make some food in the meantime.” 

Eren grinned. “Don't burn down the house.” He commented before he grabbed onto the fence and hoisted himself up. Apparently, walking around was too mainstream. About to turn away, Eren grabbed Levi by the shoulder and pulled him forward. 

Levi couldn't even argue that Eren was crinkling his shirt, because then there was a soft kiss placed on his lips and he only had a second to react and kiss back before Eren was pulling away. When he did, something soft slapped Levi in the shoulder and he opened his eyes, just about catching a glimpse of Eren climbing over, the wolf tail shifted by his tail bone. 

“My bad.” Eren laughed. “You know us dogs: can't control anything.” He winked and shifted back, the tail disappearing as he disappeared on the other side of the fence, with Levi wondering how the hell did they manage to get here. 

~~*~~*~~

Blue blinked in the midst of black, her head cocking sideways and eyes narrowing to get a better look at the situation. Her lip twitched, teeth elongating for a moment of despise before they returned to normal and she straightened, blinking and turning away, disappearing in the shadows again as she heard somebody coming. 

The person that appeared in her sight was nobody other than Mikasa Ackerman, dressed in full uniform and clearly heading toward the house that she had been watching for the past few hours. 

Deciding it was too risky to keep around as long as Mikasa knew her scent, she backed away and headed down the street. Her throat burned lightly and she remembered she would need to grab a snack along the way, hopefully trying to avoid getting a lot of attention. 

She had decided upon a girl who really should have known better, a teenager walking through the alley filled with shadows. There wasn't much struggle and she straightened a minute later, wiping her mouth and dragging the body behind the corner, making it less noticeable.

She then headed towards the house they had took over, the previous owners having mysteriously taken a holiday. By that, she meant they were lying in their own puddles of blood in the basement of said house. 

Coming in through the window, she closed it behind her and sighed for a second, just resting on the bed. She had been on her feet ever since the night before. 

Were there things Annie ever regretted? Of course. She regretted not joining the Survey Corps like her father wanted her to. She regretted bringing so much unwanted attention to herself during one of her previous kills. She regretted not getting a haircut, she regretted not having a warmer jumper and she definitely regretted telling Mikasa Ackerman her actual tragic back story. Everything else? Not particularly. She had her reasons, after all. 

She found Reiner and Bertholdt in the other room, lying on the bed in silence. She paused by the door and Bertholdt looked up at her, silently sliding away from an asleep Reiner before he stood up and joined her outside the room. “And?” 

“The good news is, Levi is taking a little vacation.” Annie informed him. “The bad news is that Eren is taking it with him.” 

Bertholdt cursed, his fingers running through his hair as he leaned back on the wall. “This isn't good.” He muttered. “We're not doing too well.” He told her quietly and she nodded, understanding what he meant. Being immune to the infection had its ups and downs. He bit his lip, sighing again, “Reiner isn't doing too well.” He added urgently. “We need to go outside, but there's no guarantee we can get back in.” 

“I know that.” Annie told him. “But I found the next potential target.” Annie announced. “Everything would match up. Her parents were close with him, so it's a potential lead.” 

“We have to hurry, Annie.” Bertholdt urged. And she didn't have the strength to snap at him, to tell him she was doing all she could because she knew how he was feeling. He was watching his mate hurt while inside, he hurt himself. 

The one disadvantage of being immune to the Rogue infection was that once your body recognised it as something that was familiar and not a threat, it wanted more. Every few days, the desire would get too high and pain would begin as withdrawals started. Clearly, there was no way to obtain Rogue blood within the walls. And leaving the walls now could ruin all of their plans. 

There was a clear furrow in between Bertholdt's eyebrows, the face of a worried mate. Reiner would be taking it the worst; he was infected first after all. He was perhaps the one all of this started with. Reiner was the first successful experiment. 

But when a twelve-year-old Reiner became infected, it also had an impact on his mate. They had found each other early, after all. Reiner and Bertholdt had been neighbours their whole lives, they've been best friends their whole lives, and now mates, their whole lives. And perhaps it was selfish, and cruel and overall completely inexcusable, but when Reiner became infected, he didn't leave Bertholdt behind. 

When the infection hit and first symptoms appeared, Reiner sought out Bertholdt and infected him with his own blood. Of course, Bertholdt didn't want that. That was where that pretty scar on the side of Reiner's face had come from; an injury caused by your mate never heals. But in the end, Bertholdt had been infected either way. 

They were both shoved outside the walls and left to die. 

Except, the infection didn't last. It was painful, but it never lasted. And they were prey out there, continuously being infected by wild Rogues and then going through the excruciating torture that the healing process was. That was also where Annie had found them. Of course, her story was slightly different. 

It was true; her father had wanted her to be the ultimate soldier. But Annie had always lacked the discipline. So her father had tried other means of getting her disciplined.

And there was a common factor in them all; Annie, Reiner, Bertholdt and Eren. There was one reason why they all had ended up where they were, what they were and how they were. 

That common factor was Grisha Yeager.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. So, yeah, two updates in like five days. Each time I feel like I'm getting near the end, there's more details coming into my mind and all of those details would just kill you.  
> Any questions about this chapter, leave in the comments and I'll be sure to answer when I update next! I know it got slightly confusing and I still didn't manage to fit in Erwin's mate story. I don't particularly like how this chapter came out. Except the beginning fluff. I love that part. Why can't I give kudos to my own story????? If I don't nobody else will  
> I had it pointed out that Levi might be slightly too soft to be canon. I would like to point out that in previous chapters, he wasn't soft. Also, being around your mate and falling in love can have that kind of an impact on a person. Levi will remain sarcastic and grumpy and definitely will not turn into a softy. Except for Eren.  
> Thank you guys for the support and all the amazing comments! Maybe now you can kind of sympathise with Reiner and Bertl? I love those two. Also, I have no beta reader or anything and I don't have the time to look over the chapters repeatedly so there will always be some spelling mistakes. Sorry! Oh, and yeah, Yuuki is an original character. Just needed some childish interaction in there. It's not pointless, I promise!  
> You can message me on [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/) if you want, and anything related to the story is stored on Tumblr under the tag fic: etch.  
> Thanks for reading!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But at the same time, that's the past. We can't change the past.” Levi frowned at Eren's words. This kid, mere seventeen years old, seemed so much better and wiser than Levi could ever be. How could he ever try to live up to Eren?

Levi narrowed his eyes, stormy grey met emerald green as he kept his eyes focused on the little wolf sitting in front of him. The wolf whined, little claws scratching at the floor in impatience as her emerald eyes followed Levi's every move. 

“What the hell do you want from me?” Levi grumbled in return, turning away and mixing the ingredients in the pan. “You're not getting any food from me.” He added in a murmur, rolling his eyes as the little wolf whined again. “Eren said you can handle yourself, so stop begging it.” 

The wolf tilted her head and whimpered, barking in a high pitched note. She stood up and pattered over to stand by Levi before leaning up and scratching at his leg with her little paws. Levi rolled his eyes again, “You're insufferable.” He murmured, before picking up a piece of meat and feeding it to the wolf. 

He washed his hands at the same time there was a knock on the front door. Leaving the apron behind, he walked over to the door, wondering why Eren chose to come back this way since he found front doors to be overrated. 

He should have known it wasn't Eren. When he was around Eren, his chest felt tight and it was hard to breathe, but at the same time, he felt lighter and more relaxed than ever. 

When the door opened, Mikasa stood in front of him. He was about to ask what this was about, since they were supposed to be left alone and all business talk was to be paused, but a shove came at his chest and he stumbled back, just about catching his balance again before he could fall. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” He growled at her, his eyes narrowing at her clenched fists and blank face. The usual red scarf remained wrapped around her neck, covering her mouth slightly but her eyes glowed the very same vibrant red they did when she was in wolf form. This was not a friendly visit. 

“What happened with Erwin and his mate?” She hissed at him, taking a step into the house, uninvited. 

Levi's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the issue. “What the fuck gives you the right to barge into my house and ask me fucked up questions?” He hissed in return, his own fists clenching instinctively as he found Mikasa to be a threat. 

Midnight had strolled in from the kitchen, circling around Mikasa happily and barking at the familiar presence. They both ignored the little wolf. 

“I asked you a question.” Mikasa replied. “I've heard some nasty rumours, and I hope for your sake that they're not true.” There was a growl to her voice which suggested she was on the brink of losing control, just barely containing the animal inside of her whose wish it was to rip Levi apart. 

Levi remained silent for a moment, heat rising under his skin. “Get out.” 

Mikasa's whole body seemed to tense all over again. “So it's true.” She growled, teeth lengthening into deadly canines of a wolf. “And here I was beginning to think that you weren't too bad for Eren.” 

“I never said any of it was true.” Levi hissed in reply, taking a step forward but stopping himself before he did anything rash. “But this is a conversation I will have with Eren, not you.” He growled, usually grey eyes misting over with red. 

“That's not good enough!” Mikasa exclaimed. “I won't have you hurt Eren.” She added, her voice low and dangerous. 

Levi gave a tired sigh, sick of her bringing up the same point over and over again. “This is none of your business, Mikasa.” He spoke again, his voice remaining firm and sharp. “I will tell Eren, when I deem the time to be right.” 

“Tell me what?” They both turned sharply at the unfamiliar voice, both pairs of eyes widening at the sight of Eren standing by the doorway. Midnight reacted first, running over to Eren happily. Eren's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he took in the situation. “Mikasa?” He turned to Levi, his eyes widening at his mate's red eyed and clenched fists. “Levi? What's going on?” He asked again. “Tell me what?” 

~~*~~*~~

“Erwin! What the hell is this?!” Hanji stormed down the hallway, fists clenched and eyes narrowed behind her glasses, shooting enraged glares at Erwin. She was wearing the usual travelling Survey Corps cloak which made it clear she was about to leave before she heard of the news. 

“Calm down, Hanji.” Erwin spoke back calmly, blocking her way so that she couldn't get past the doorway. “We had a breach. Somebody broke into your lab.” 

Hanji's eyes widened. “What the hell does that mean?!” She yelled and Erwin sighed, all determination leaving his body as he realised this would already be a long day. He almost felt happy as he saw Mike rushing down the hallway, concern in his eyes, the very same eyes focused solely on Hanji. “Let me in!” She tried to push past Erwin again. 

“Erwin,” Mike reached them, his arms wrapping around Hanji to calm her down and keep her in place. “What's the damage?” 

“No serious damage to any equipment.” Erwin confirmed. “However,” His eyebrows furrowed as he began again. “Moblit informs me that some samples have gone missing.” 

Hanji's eyes widened and then, even Mike's arms failed to hold her in place. She shoved past Erwin and into the laboratory filled with Survey Corps soldiers as well as Military Police detectives. Her eyes quickly scanned over the shattered tubes lying on the floor but she calmed down slightly once she realised none of the equipment was damaged. 

She then turned towards her latest experiment and her eyes widened. “What's missing?” Mike was beside her, his hand slowly wrapping around her wrist and pulling her towards him. Mike had always been very fond of physical contact, and although Hanji never found herself being particularly fond of physical contact, she had become used to being affectionate with Mike. 

Hanji quickly looked over the different tubes, followed by skimming over the notes. “Test subject samples.” She replied in a murmur, one of her hands running her fingers through her hair while the other remained on Mike's arm. “From the last Rogue we captured. It was infected blood...” She turned to Mike. “That's dangerous. Possession of Rogue blood could turn to be catastrophic...” She muttered again, shaking her head. 

“It was a vampire.” Erwin stepped into the room, his eyes slowly scanning over everything cleverly. “Guards would have smelled a wolf.” He added after consideration. “We should let Levi know.” 

“No!” Hanji quickly burst in, turning to look at Erwin. “No, this is nothing important.” She quickly added. “He deserves some time off with Eren.”  
/  
Erwin's eyes flashed a vibrant blue for a moment before he nodded once and looked away. “Very well.” He replied. “I'll make sure to have more guards on duty here.” He added and then turned away. “What damage are we looking at?” 

“Our soldiers should we careful. “ Hanji replied. “If the wrong person has their hands on it, they could get infected.” Hanji sighed, eyebrows furrowing. “I can't think of any other purpose that the Rogue blood could be used for.” 

Erwin nodded again. “I'll make sure.” He told her. “Meanwhile, you go visit Levi. Get some blood samples from Eren and try to find out what makes him different.” 

“But, Erwin!” Hanji called after him before he could walk away. “I thought we agreed that Levi would be kept out of this.” She lowered her voice, looking at Erwin sternly. 

“We did no such thing.” Erwin admitted firmly. “Do you really think this is a coincidence, Hanji?” He asked, thick eyebrows furrowing as he watched her curiously. “Do you really think that somebody breaking into the base at the same time that Squad Levi are not active and the main threat, Levi, is not present, is a coincidence?” 

Hanji hadn't thought about it this way before. Erwin didn't wait for a reply while Hanji kept her gaze on the ground. 

“Mike, walk with me.” Erwin turned to Mike before turning around. “And Hanji, that was an order.” He left then and after planting a soft kiss on Hanji's forehead, Mike followed. 

Hanji sighed, looking around her lab one more time. “Yes, sir.” She whispered and although she didn't want to follow the order, she knew there was no other choice. Even if she disagreed, she had vowed her loyalty to Erwin Smith and the Survey Corps. There was no room for friendship when people's lives were at stake. 

~~*~~*~~

“I'm not leaving until I hear the truth.” Mikasa spoke firmly before looking around the kitchen slowly, taking in her surroundings. She was clearly keeping close to Eren as a mere foot stood between them. Eren had leaned on the island counter, his eyes focused on Levi, his lips pursed. 

Levi stood on the other side of the island, the distance between him and Eren a clear representation of what was happening. He hoped that this wouldn't get in between them, but then, how could he ever think it wouldn't? 

“No.” Levi snapped back. “This is between me and you.” He turned to Eren, his eyes softening at the sight of his mate confused before him. He was never meant to hurt Eren. 

“There is no way I'm leaving you alone! You've already killed somebody else's mate, who's to say you won't kill Eren?” Mikasa stepped forward but Eren had grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into place. His face remained blank. 

“I haven't killed anybody!” Levi growled in response. “And if you think I would ever lay a hand on Eren, then you're delusional.” 

“Mikasa, it's fine.” Eren sighed, turning to look at her. He gave her a small smile. “He's right.” She held his gaze for a moment, her fists remaining clenched. 

“Eren...” She started softly. 

“It's fine. I trust him, okay?” He shrugged slightly, avoiding Levi's gaze. “You can wait outside, if you want.” Mikasa had nodded, shooting Levi another glare before she left the room. Levi knew she wouldn't go far. Eren sighed then, turning to face Levi but kept his gaze on the counter. “Talk, Levi. Is it true?” 

“Not the way you think it is.” 

Eren chuckled but there was no humour in his tone. “What is that supposed to mean?” 

Levi sighed. “I...Before I started training, I wasn't one of the well-behaved kids. I hung around the wrong people and in the wrong places.” 

“What does that have to do with anything?” 

“It all fits.” Levi assured. “I never wanted to be home, and you know the reason for that. I met two people and we became best friends. Isabel, Farlan and I would wreak all kinds of havoc. We found never before discovered tunnels and spent our days covered in dirt down there. When I began training, so did they.” 

“I was eighteen when it happened. Isabel's Etch kicked in, and her mate was somebody we could never have predicted.” Levi furrowed his eyebrows at the thought, memories flooding back. “Erwin wasn't the Commander of the Survey Corps just yet, but he was almost there. He was focused on getting that position and nothing would stand in his way. Therefore, you can see how finding a mate was a problem for him.” Levi hesitated. “He...He didn't feel it. It didn't work as well as it should have. It doesn't always...” He trailed off. 

“Isabel was his mate?” Eren made sure. Levi nodded. 

“It lasted for a few months, and then Erwin became the Commander. He couldn't deal with any distractions; he never showed Isabel any affection anyway. She was breaking apart and it was hurting all of us to see it happening. I...” Levi paused, gulping over the words. “I wanted to be somebody. I had worked so hard all this time. All this effort had been for nothing.” He sneered. 

“Levi...” Eren trailed off softly but Levi shook his head, determined to finish what he started now. 

“So Erwin asked me for help.” Levi stated. “I met with Isabel and led her to the meeting point. From there, Erwin had hired some thugs to finish the job.” Levi laughed coldly, his teeth clenching. “And I had to walk away from it all, pretending like I didn't care whatsoever.” He paused, frowning. “And here I am, in a position I don't even deserve.” 

“You didn't do it.” Eren pointed out softly. 

“But I led her to her death. I knew about it all and I didn't stop it.” Levi replied passionately. “And Farlan knew that. He was always smarter than me. He never forgave me.” Levi paused, shaking his head. “He died six months later while on duty. I never even got to apologise properly...” 

Eren had remained in his spot. “Is that where the cleaning tendencies come from, too?” 

“I was around too much dirt. I realised I really don't like dirt.” Levi shrugged simply. “Look, I get that this is messed up.” Levi pointed out. “But...” He hesitated, pursing his lips as he realised how completely soft he had become. “But I would never hurt you and I would definitely never let anybody hurt you.” He paused, his eyes straying. “Never again.” 

Eren remained in his spot, his eyes slowly scanning over the kitchen and pausing on something in particular. The corner of his lips pulled up slightly as he approached the food Levi had prepared and looked down at it. “I'm not going to excuse you.” Eren spoke. “Yes, you did have a part in what happened and it was selfish of you to do it for yourself.” He commented and Levi nodded silently, agreeing but his chest tightening with each word Eren spoke. 

“But at the same time, that's the past. We can't change the past.” Levi frowned at Eren's words. This kid, mere seventeen years old, seemed so much better and wiser than Levi could ever be. How could he even try to live up to Eren? “Besides, not like there's anything for me to do.” Eren laughed lightly. “You've got me wrapped around your finger; there's not much that you can say to change that.” 

“Don't say that.” Levi snapped. “Don't make this out to be like you're with me because you're forced to be with me.” A thought dawned on him and his shoulders immediately slacked. “Unless you are.” He sighed and turned to look away. “If, after everything you've heard, you don't want to be here, I'm sure we can work something out.” He said it because he knew Eren deserved to have the choice, but as each word left his mouth, something tightened in his chest. 

“Don't be stupid.” Eren snapped in return. “I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be here.” He added firmly. Levi liked Eren for that; even though Eren was kind and loving in nature, he was also headstrong and never put up with any bullshit Levi threw his way. Maybe there was some truth to the whole soul mate thing. 

Levi nodded silently, looking down again, firmly in his place. “That's good.” He whispered. “But I would understand if-” Levi stopped as arms wrapped around him and Eren pulled his body against him. 

Levi froze for a moment, his eyes widening as Eren's arms wrapped around him tight, his hands fisting on the back of Levi's shirt and pulling him closer. “Don't.” Eren whispered. “As long as you put up with my bullshit, I put up with your bullshit.” 

“It's not the same.” Levi sighed, but his arms came up to wrap around Eren involuntarily. “Your bullshit wasn't by choice.” 

“True.” Eren agreed. “But I've killed people before, people who probably had families and friends. And now I'm the new freak, immune to what's killing everybody. Do you really think that's going to make me popular?” 

“It should. You're one in a lifetime.” Levi murmured and Eren's arms tightened around him for a second. But he knew that wasn't true. He knew that the Garrison would look upon Eren as an outsider now, a different species; the Military Police would probably see him as a threat. The only people who could truly appreciate his gift were the Survey Corps, and it was illegal for him to be associated with them. 

“So I think it's a fair deal.” Eren repeated. “You take the good with the bad, right?” 

Levi sighed, nodding lightly. “You take the good with the bad.” He repeated. 

Eren pulled back and looked at him for a moment before a smile graced his lips. “Thank you.” He added, and Levi turned his head away slightly, not brave enough to look Eren in the eyes. 

“Don't thank me.” Levi whispered in return. Eren said nothing in reply and simply leaned down, placing his lips on Levi's forehead and leaving a loving kiss there. Levi couldn't help but sneer at how ridiculous all of this was; if it wasn't bad enough that the kid was taller than him, Levi was the one being treated like a child here. 

There came a sudden, loud knocking on the door. “Are you guys done?!” Came a yell from the other side and Levi groaned as he pulled away and faced the door just as it opened and Hanji crashed into the room, Mikasa right behind her, looking wary as always. 

“What the hell do you want? I thought you said-” 

Hanji cut Levi off. “I know what I said.” She rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately, I'm not in charge. Commander Eyebrows is, and I was ordered to come here.” She huffed and dropped her bag on the couch, making Levi cringe. “You're not going to like what I have to say.” 

Levi looked between both Eren and Mikasa before turning to look at Hanji. “It's nothing that secretive.” She assured him with a shrug, dropping down on one of the chair by the kitchen table. 

“Go on then.” 

“There was a break in at the base.” Hanji stated. “My lab, to be specific. There were samples of Rogue blood stolen. Suspect is a vampire.” 

“What a fucking surprise.” Levi scoffed, his arms crossing over his chest. “Nobody was hurt?” 

“Nope.” Hanji replied. 

“Weren't there any guards?” Levi spoke up again, raising his eyebrow at how ridiculous this was. “What about the soldiers? What about my squad?” The last question seemed to be spoken in a softer tone and Hanji instantly understood Levi's worry for Petra. 

“They're all fine.” She assured him again. “They're on vacation, after all.” 

“Who the hell authorized that?” 

Hanji rolled her eyes. “I did. Give them a break, shorty.” She replied and grinned as he glared at her. Eren snickered behind him and Levi turned his head, moving his elbow back in a fast motion and hearing Eren grunt once his elbow playfully struck Eren. “But, other than that...” Hanji started again, getting up and grabbing her bag. 

Levi almost heard Eren gulp once Hanji opened her bag and her scientific equipment came into view. 

“I'm here for Eren.” Hanji pointed out with a frown. “Erwin's orders.” 

Eren nodded before joining Hanji at the couch. “You're not going to get blood all over my house, are you?” Levi snapped immediately. 

Hanji rolled her eyes. “I'm a professional!” 

“That wasn't a no!” 

“I won't!” She exclaimed back. 

Levi rolled his eyes yet again and instead, turned to Mikasa. “I'll walk you out.” He offered, his firm tone telling her that she had no choice in the matter. He began walking and she hesitantly followed. Levi opened the door and waited in silence. Mikasa stopped in the doorstep. “I'm sorry I charged in here.” She murmured, turning away from him. “But this doesn't mean that I still trust you.” 

“Then this is perfect.” Levi commented simply. “I don't even trust myself.” 

“But Eren seems to trust you...” Mikasa pointed out quietly. 

“Strange.” Levi added as a comment. “Next time you force yourself into my house, I won't be nice about it.” 

Mikasa scoffed. “Was this you being nice? If Eren hadn't showed up, this would have been totally different.” She pointed out. 

“You started it.” Levi shot back. 

Mikasa shrugged. “Maybe I did.” She admitted. “Take care, Levi.” She took the step over the threshold and then she was shifting, the black wolf running down the street a few seconds later. 

Levi closed the door behind her and rolled his eyes as he returned to the kitchen. He froze in his steps in the doorway, his eyes widening and his nose crinkling slightly. “That better not be blood on my white rug.” 

~~*~~*~~

_Craving is a good thing. In certain matters, craving creates wonders. It allows you to set your mind on things you never would if you were sane. But it happens, and there's no way to stop it. Standing there now, amidst the bloodshed, he craved two things._

_The stronger craving was the one in his stomach; the craving he was ashamed of, but had no power to stop. The craving that had taken over him. The smell of said craving was heavy in the air and his wolf eyes scanned over possible prey quickly, skilfully finding the weakest link which would put up the least amount of fight._

_He snarled then, salivating already as he pounced forward, shoving aside any soldiers in his way, ripping apart anything that opposed him, friend or foe. His claws dug into the rotten skin of the vampire; red, crazed eyes stared back at him, and silently, he knew his own were little different._

_The fight was over quickly. His jaws snapped over the Rogue's chest and cracked bones along the way, blood pouring from the critical wound. The vampire cried in agony but the brown-furred wolf above him did nothing but lap at the blood with his tongue. His eyes almost rolled back in his head as his main craving was satisfied for the short moment._

_But there was another craving under his skin, the same craving that made his chest tighten, and his heart beat faster. He craved a presence beside him, solid. He craved fingertips light at the nape of his neck and a voice meeting his in the dark. He craved his lover's mouth, his voice, his hair, his eyes. But he could do nothing about this craving._

_A vampire appeared before him, dressed in a green cloak with vaguely familiar emblem of wings etched into it. He struggled to remember what the symbol meant, but the smell became familiar. But the vampire was a threat._

_He attacked with a snarl, dodging the vampire's silver blade and circling his opponent. The crave for that magical substance returned but he knew he wouldn't be able to quench his thirst with the blood of his opponent. They weren't the same. He needed the blood of the ones with red eyes and rotten skin and black drool and crazed screams._

_His jaws snapped at the vampire but he was dodged; the vampire had used some crazy contraption which had allowed him to pounce high into the air with the use of some wires. Watching the movement carefully, he studied the technique and understood what was happening._

_Smoke was high in the air, fires had broken out and the smell of burning, dead flesh tickled at his nostrils. He snapped at the vampire again and had not predicted the retaliation; the silver blade sunk into his shoulder blade and a snarl made its way out of his jaws, furious and vengeful._

_“Stop it! You'll hurt him!” The voice was familiar, but he couldn't become distracted now._

_He attacked the vampire again, faking a right attack before changing the direction and snapping his jaws to the left. The vampire shot up into the air again, but he was right behind him. His clawed paw pulled at the wire and the vampire came crashing to the ground, momentarily caught off guard._

_His jaws then closed over the vampire's head and bit down with no hesitation. Blood filled his muzzle and dripped down the sides, colouring his fur with the violent red. The vampire went limp, a screeching scream followed in the distance._

_His head turned toward the sound, his eyes scanning the battling creatures all around him, searching for the very thing that would sate his craving again. But instead, his eyes found stormy grey eyes of a vampire staring back at him; the vampire adorned the green cloak he had seen before, but there was something in those grey orbs which told him he was different._

_The vampire with the beautiful eyes drew his blade, his teeth clenching hard. It was a challenge, and Eren would take it. The vampire was yet another threat, in the way of his satiation. He snarled and pounced forward without another thought._

He shot up in the bed, his eyes wide and his breath rapid and irregular. There were arms around him, and Levi's comforting voice was whispering by his ear silently, “It was just a dream. Calm down.” 

One of his hands wrapped around his lover while he continued to try and get his breathing under control. His other hand had reached towards his face and he realised there were tears streaming down his cheeks. He wiped them quickly, hiccupping slightly as Levi's arms continued to hold him tightly. 

“It was just a dream, Eren.” Levi continued whispering, his lips leaving a simple peck on Eren's temple. Eren nodded shakily, hugging Levi back and lying down on the bed again. 

“I'm sorry.” He whispered back after his breathing had returned to normal. 

“Don't be.” Levi whispered back. “It's fine.” 

Eren nodded and turned towards Levi, watching as the vampire closed his eyes and tried to return to sleep. He knew better than to ask what Eren's nightmare was about. Eren himself wasn't sure about what had happened. 

There were two sides to the war in his nightmare. And he had been standing on the wrong one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I keep opening up new plots and never finishing them. Everything will be explained, I promise. In due time. Also, I finally worked out where I want this story to go. I got the next big event planned and it's going to be happening sooner rather than later. I predict this story to be around 30 chapters.   
> I know some stuff might be complicated, so leave questions below and I'll do my best to answer them. And can I just say: if you ever find their behaviour not canon-like, remember that Eren and Levi are mates. Having a mate changes how you behave towards that person.   
> So, no real mystery as to who broke into Hanji's lab. But I hope you liked the ereri scenes that I added where I could. And we finally got to hear Erwin's story! I wanted to include Isabel and Farlan in here and when I thought about it, it seemed perfect.   
> Thank you to everybody still reading and a MASSIVE thank you to anybody commenting. I love answering your questions and hearing what you think about the story :) Thanks guys!   
> You can find me [here](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, and anything related to the story is under the tag fic: etch.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Then again, going to a party with a bunch of teenagers wasn't exactly how Levi had planned this night to go; yet here they were and this was happening, no matter how many times he disagreed with Hanji's suggestions.

“I'll see you later, alright?” Levi murmured, Eren's face buried in the space where his neck and shoulder connected. His arms wound tighter around his mate. “Just stay out of trouble.” Levi spoke firmly, but there was a teasing note in his tone.

“Are you sure I can't help?” Eren asked yet again, pulling away to look down at Levi. “I'm in less of a danger than any of you.” He pointed out, referring to his immunity.

“It's not a big deal.” Levi commented. “The only reason Erwin even agreed for Hanji to get more test subjects is because of the recent break in. She'll be satisfied and she'll get off his back.”

Eren seemed to frown at the words and Levi knew perfectly well why. Eren didn't blame Levi for Isabel's death, but if he didn't, then the only other person left to blame was Erwin Smith. And some part of Levi perhaps agreed, but any other negative feeling towards the Commander of the Survey Corps were gone; it had been sixteen years since the incident, after all.

“You've been a bit jumpy ever since this morning.” Levi commented suddenly, raising an eyebrow at Eren.

The other shrugged slightly, before looking away. “I just had a bad dream.” He used as an excuse yet again. “That's all.”

“That's not it.” Levi replied firmly. Sure, he wasn't the most skilled when it came to identifying people's feelings, but when it came to Eren, he could tell there was something else wrong. “You're also still running a fever.” Levi pointed out, slowly bringing the back of his hand up to touch Eren's forehead.

Eren gave him a small smile. He had been running a fever all day and even when Yuuki came around to ask if Eren wanted to play catch with him, Levi had been quick to deny and say that Eren was in no condition to leave, even though he was clearly exaggerating. “Stop smothering me, Levi.” Eren teased, grinning at his mate.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Shut up, brat.” He murmured, stepping away and looking around the room slowly. “What are you going to do about the dog?” He asked suddenly, eyeing the creature currently sleeping on his couch.

“She's a wolf.” Eren corrected with an eye roll. “And I'm gonna have to take her back to Shiganshina.” He shrugged slightly.

Levi should have regretted the words that left his mouth. “She could stay with me.” His eyes widened as Eren gave him an entertained look and a victorious smirk. “I mean,” He hesitated. “I have a lot of room back at the base. And...you could come visit her all the time...”

“Is that your way of telling me to visit you every day?” Eren asked instead and once Levi didn't meet his eyes, he knew the theory had been correct. He frowned momentarily, “Vampires aren't too happy about a lycan visiting their base.” He pointed out.

“Fuck them.” Levi simply shot back.

“Fine. Take her with you. You're clearly in love with her.” Eren shrugged, ginning.

“I am not.” Levi denied, looking at the wolf again. “I tolerate her.”

“I'll see you tonight, though. Right?” Eren spoke up again, grinning wide at the mention of the celebrations tonight. Levi nodded in response. “We should get dressed up.” Eren supplied.

Levi snorted and shook his head. “No way. We're not ten.”

“Silently, I think you're ten at heart.” Eren commented to which he received a shove from Levi, which made him laugh harder. “Well, grumpy, if we're not getting dressed up, what are we doing?”

“Getting wasted and going to a party.” Levi supplied with a nonchalant shrug. “That's what grown-ups do during All Souls.”

Eren's eyes widened. “Wait. Party? You?” He asked incredulously.

Levi rolled his eyes at the shock in Eren's voice. “Yes.” He sighed. “Hanji pulled me to an All Souls celebration a few years back and I found that I actually rather enjoyed it.”

Eren nodded a few times, getting his head around the idea. “Sounds good.” All Souls has always been a day where they honoured the dead and the more religious people prayed to their ancestors. However, over time, the meaning had been lost slightly in the midst of kids dressing up in scary costumes to imitate the dead. They dressed up and did whatever kids do; which most of the time involved pranking elders.

Eren stepped in closer, leaning down and initiating a slow, soft kiss. They both relaxed into the kiss, a smile pulling at Eren's lips as Levi brought his hand up to run through Eren's hair.

“You're gonna be late.” Eren murmured, eyes still closed while he momentarily pulled away to speak.

Levi shrugged. “Hanji can wait.” He murmured in reply, pulling Eren back into the kiss.

“I will not be kept waiting!” They both pulled away at the voice yelling from behind the front door.

“Maybe if we're quiet, she'll go away.” Eren whispered dramatically.

“I can hear you loud and clear, wolfie!” Hanji yelled again and Levi groaned at the fact that vampires had improved hearing. “I can also hear your heart beating fast and pumping blood straight into your di-”

“Hanji!” Levi had quickly cut her off.

Eren shrugged, unaffected. “Guilty.” He spoke simply but Levi rolled his eyes, his hand fisting in Eren's shirt to pull him in for one last kiss.

“Tonight.” Levi promised.

Eren grinned back. “Tonight.”

~~*~~*~~

“Well, I'm no doctor, Eren, but it looks like something.” Armin told him with a frown, letting his hand drop from Eren's forehead. “Maybe it's just a fever.” He supplied hopefully.

Eren shook his head and sighed, defeated. He sat back on the bunk bed and looked up at Armin. “It's not just the fever, Armin.” He told him. “I told you; the temperature rise is recent. My back's been hurting, my throat burns and the last time I shifted, shifting back actually hurt.” Eren shrugged. “Shifting hasn't hurt since I was a kid. It isn't supposed to hurt.” He pointed out with a frown. 

Armin sat down next to him. “Have you told Levi?” He asked slowly. Eren shook his head 'no.' “Have you told Mikasa?” 

“Do you think I would be sitting here if Mikasa knew?” Eren sneered. “She would probably already have me lying in bed and she would be on the second pot of some weird ass soup.” 

“Oh, I remember that.” Armin laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly. “You were already ill so she made you soup, but she had no idea how to make a perfect soup so she added everything.” Armin reminisced. 

“Yeah, and it made me even sicker.” Eren smiled fondly. “Do you think I should tell anyone?” Eren returned to the subject. 

“It would be logical to.” Armin admitted. “Even if it's just one of the doctors.” He added after a moment. He hesitated then, his face scrunching with hesitance to ask the next question. 

“Just come out with it, Armin.” 

“Do you think this has something to do with you being immune to the infection?” Armin blurted out. 

Eren sighed, knowing that this question was coming. “Well, it's not like I'm turning into a Rogue. The symptoms would be different then.” He pointed out. 

“Yes.” Armin agreed. “But we still don't know about any side effects to the immunity. It's not often that you get a good thing without any repercussions.” Armin pointed out, because in all honesty, that's how the world worked. People did nice things because they expected nice things back; if you were given something, the probability was that something would have to be given back. 

“I can't tell them, Armin.” Eren murmured. 

Armin furrowed his eyebrows. “Why not?” 

“I...I've caused enough worries, okay. I'm sure this is nothing.” Eren sighed and turned away with a frown. “Levi has enough to deal with as it is, and nobody's found the Rogues that broke in yet, either.” 

“Eren, that's stupid.” Armin commented firmly. “Levi will worry either way. You're risking by not telling him.” 

Eren nodded once and shrugged. “Maybe.” He admitted. “And I'll tell him, okay?” He sighed. “Just not yet. I'll tell him when I'm sure something is wrong.” 

Armin gave him a doubtful look, eyeing Eren up and down for a moment. “Right.” He murmured, turning away from the other. 

Eren cracked a smile. “Enough about that.” He spoke. “When are you going to get yourself a mate, Blondie?” 

~~*~~*~~

Hanji breathed in deep, inhaling and exhaling before she grinned. “Just like old times.” She commented. 

“You and I remember old times very differently.” Levi pointed out, drawing his blades, looking down at the spotless silver in his hand. He took a closer look at the other soldiers crowded around the place. The signal would go off and the gates would be opened before being closed after thirty seconds. By then, some Rogues should be in.

“Not late to the party, am I?” Levi turned at the voice, his eyes narrowing as Erwin stepped up, taking off his green Survey Corps cloak in the process and handing it to one of the soldiers following him around. He stopped next to Levi and drew his blades. 

Levi didn't look at him, and honestly, in this situation it would have been hard to look at him anyway. Levi's head did only reach his shoulder, which was annoying and simply infuriating. 

“It depends why you're here.” Levi replied, looking ahead instead. Memories flooded back now that he had scratched at the scabs. _He remembered the night Erwin had sought him out and praised him for his progress in training. He remembered the conversation Erwin had with him about Isabel. He remembered the argument that followed, where Levi drew his blade and told Erwin to fuck off; Erwin had simply smiled and walked away._

“I haven't joined in on the action for a while.” Erwin stated, his eyes cleverly scanning over the other soldiers. The sun had just set and Levi was getting impatient. They had to hurry this along; he had an appointment to meet. 

“I'm surprised.” Levi commented, to which Hanji turned to look at him with furrowed eyebrows. “You're not usually the guy who's present at the scene. You're usually the guy sitting in the back, watching things unravel.” And those had been the wrong words, but the memories were too much. _That same night that Erwin had approached him, Levi couldn't sleep. He had stayed up all night thinking about what it would be like to actually be considered important._

_Without any sleep, he had then been forced into cleaning out the stables, followed by the toilets and then standing on duty in the rain. It had been a bad day, as it usually was, and Levi was sick of it. He deserved to be more after all the work he put in. That very same day he found himself in Erwin's office._

Erwin remained silent for a minute. “Careful, Levi.” He spoke, a warning tone to his voice. “If you continue to be so rude, you won't be left with any friends.” Levi's hands tightened over the blades. _He could still remember the thoughts that had ran through his mind back then; he wanted to kill Erwin Smith for suggesting that Isabel was not a good mate. But killing Erwin Smith, the Commander of the regiment Levi so clearly admired, was impossible._

“That's Levi for you!” Hanji laughed loudly, the laugh too fake to be considered even remotely real. She was clearly trying to ease the tension. 

But the tension would be there forever. _Levi had negotiated taking Isabel to a meeting point where Erwin had found somebody to help; somebody to help them get rid of the Etch. Little did he know that something like this didn't exist, and it was too late to realise that once Isabel had been stabbed through the heart and Levi was being pulled away, kicking and screaming._

_He had been eighteen. He had been a kid. He didn't know how the world worked. He didn't know what hate and love was. Only later did he understand that he had been tricked by Erwin Smith, whom had guilt-tripped him into thinking the Etch was a strain on his body._

_But by then, he wasn't capable of hate. Murdering your mate was not uncommon, and nobody cared that Isabel had been killed. The real worry was with Commander Erwin Smith, who had not reacted to her death at all. If nobody else hated Erwin for it, why should Levi be allowed to?_

The alarm sounded and the gate began opening slowly. Everybody tensed, blades straight and knees bent. Levi counted in his head, the numbers echoing, his finger twitching over the gas button. 

He must have been the first to see the dark fur slip in under the gate. His grappling hooks shot out and he found himself next to the lycan within a second, his blades parring the deathly blow from the Rogue's claws. Two more Rogue lycans had found their way in and the alarm blared again, indicating that the gate was closing. 

Levi spun, his blade catching on one of the paws of the lycan, making the beast growl, black drool dripping from its muzzle. Erwin had taken over one of the other Rogues while Hanji and a soldier Levi didn't know had taken the other. 

Levi dodged to the right, dodging the piercing teeth of the rabid beast before he spun the other way, his blade catching the wolf's other leg. The injuries would heal soon and he whistled, signalling for the others to bring in the nets. 

Levi then flipped over the beast and caught its two hind legs, hearing as the beast collapsed to the ground momentarily, waiting as its injuries healed. Which would be soon. 

But the chained, silver nets were already being brought on by multiple soldiers and thrown on over the beast. Levi cleaned his blade while he watched it snarl and whimper under the silver burning at its skin. 

Erwin then finished the lycan he had been fighting and Levi raised an eyebrow as he realised the lycan was dead. The goal was to capture them, after all. 

Having dealt with their lycan, Hanji ran over and looked over the dead lycan grimacing. “He was so pretty!” She cried dramatically, dropping to her knees before the dead lycan. Levi rolled his eyes, returning his blades into their designated spots. 

“Moblit! Have them delivered to my lab!” 

“What are you-” 

“I have a party to get to! You're so inconsiderate, Moblit.” 

Hanji caught up with Levi then, elbowing him slightly. “You alright?” She murmured to him. He nodded simply. 

“I don't have time for your therapy session.” He rolled his eyes. “I'm meeting Eren.” 

“I know.” Hanji pointed out. “We're all supposed to meet before going.” 

“What?” 

“Well, I've spoken with Eren,” She started to which she received a glare from Levi. “And some of his friends are going and some of our friends our going, so why not go all together?” She grinned wide. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Splendid.” 

~~*~~*~~

“I will not be wearing make up.” Levi outright refused. “It's bad enough that I agreed to this stupid costume.” He picked up the red cape that Hanji had given him, scowling at the material. He reached up and touched his hair; Hanji had gelled it all back under the excuse of matching his costume. For behold, his costume was completely original: he was a vampire. 

“It's just a little black around the eyes!” Hanji exclaimed, already holding the dark make up. “Don't worry, the real bags under your eyes will actually be helpful for once.” He scowled and shoved at her shoulder before he turned to look at Eren, who had been silently snickering to himself the whole time. 

“You think this is funny?” He demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. Eren nodded unashamedly. Hanji had dressed him up into what she called a zombie, whatever the hell that was. 'The Undead', she had added when Levi had given her a clueless look. There was green and black make up covering Eren's whole face, contrasting with his bright eyes. He was also wearing a formal shirt and pants which both had been ripped by Hanji (a lot, but Levi was not complaining). Hanji had also thrown some solution over him, claiming that it looked like fake blood. 

Why the hell were they even dressing up? This was kid's stuff. But, maybe they just needed it about now. He sighed as he let Hanji paint on his face, scowling at the feeling. 

“Here, wear these.” She handed him a pair of plastic vampire fangs to put over his teeth. 

“I have my own.” He pointed out obviously, lengthening his canines for a moment and flashing them at her in an obvious gesture. 

Hanji rolled her eyes in response. “But they have to be fake!” She argued. “Otherwise, this doesn't work.” 

Levi rolled his eyes, cursing under his breath but put the fangs on anyway, making sure they fit comfortably in his mouth. “I don't see why I'm doing this. I'm already a fucking vampire.” He muttered and blinked, letting the red overcome the iris of his eyes. “See? You don't get this in the damn costume.” He muttered before letting his eyes go back to normal. 

“Actually, there are red contacts too, but I didn't think you'd want them.” Hanji quickly added and Levi scowled yet again, glaring at her. 

“I think we're good.” Eren came over with a small smile, his arm wrapping around Levi's shoulders. “Should we get going?” 

“Let's do it.” Hanji turned, the fake tail poking out of her back hitting Levi in the leg. She had become a cat for the night, completable with drawn on whispers, furry ears and short one-piece black outfit. It wasn't an accurate costume, but one that Mike would definitely enjoy. 

Meeting with the rest of the arranged group was easy, it seemed Hanji had done her job well. Then again, going to a party with a bunch of teenagers wasn't exactly how Levi had planned this night to go, yet here they were and this was happening, no matter how many times he disagreed with Hanji's suggestions. 

Marco and Jean stood side by side, one dressed fully in white while the other remained dressed fully in black. With red paint on his face and red horns on his head, Jean was supposed to be some type of a devil or demon or whatever. Marco bore a pair of fake white wings on his back which paired together with the halo hanging above his head and his angelic smile. 

Historia stood next to a vampire girl that Levi didn't know. Historia, dressed in a pretty pink dress and expensive looking jewellery, seemed to be a real-life princess. The girl, her mate, however, was dressed in a neat looking suit, her arm around Christa.

Sasha Blouse stood next to another vampire, both of them covered head to toe in bright, neon paint. Levi was slowly introduced to the rest of the group: Mina Carolina, a lycan and Franz and Hannah, lycan mates. It seemed fair, since the group seemed to be vampire dominated. 

Of course, he didn't forget two other very important people. Mikasa stood with her arms crossed over her chest in a complete nurse costume covered in something that looked like fake blood. She didn't seem to be ecstatic about being dressed that way. Armin stood next to her, smiling wide and sporting a skeleton-like costume, excluding the head. Levi smirked at the way the bones matched his body in perfect places. 

“Drinks?” Hanji spoke up, breaking the initial silence. 

“Hanji, they're not old enough to-” 

“That's a yes, then.” Hanji ignored him and grabbed Mike by the arm, pulling him away from the group and towards the stall with drinks. 

Levi turned towards the street and even though his patience with Hanji was slowly thinning, he had to admit the place looked great. A band played music down the street, but it was faint from where they were standing. There were lights handing between houses in all directions, lighting up the streets. There were also stalls with food and drinks and all kinds of stupid games to win meaningless prizes. But the atmosphere was great, and there were people dancing together further down the street. 

“Come on!” Eren reacted first, a heart-warming smile on his face as he grabbed Levi's hand and pulled him forward. 

The group had began interacting and moving down through the attractions together, but Eren remained by his side. They watched the lights, listened to the music and when Hanji arrived, grabbed their drinks. Levi had sat down, Historia making conversation with him about the last training they had, Ymir stuck to her side. 

Eren, meanwhile, chatted with Marco, laughing loudly while Jean stood to the side and tried to look annoyed, but a smile stretched on his lips whenever Marco laughed. Armin had kept by Mikasa, pulling her along to keep her out of trouble and moved around the group, making sure everybody was entertained. 

“Levi!” Levi looked up at Eren calling him, raising his eyebrows at Eren waving him over. He stood up, excused himself and joined Eren by one of the stalls. Eren didn't say anything further but simply pointed at a big plush toy shaped like a wolf. “Get it, please?” 

Levi looked to the stall. It was some kind of a shooting game, except there wasn't a gun to be used. Wooden targets shaped like birds moved left and right along the board, fast but not impossible to see. Levi looked down at the writing; knife throwing. 

“Didn't you have training?” Levi murmured in reply, turning to look at Eren with a raised eyebrow. “If anything, shouldn't you impress me with your skills?” He teased. 

Eren rolled his eyes. “Just get it, old man.” Eren grinned and Levi huffed as he paid the guy and received three small knives in return. 

He faced the targets and brought his hand up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he focused. He threw the first knife and watched it stick to the edge of one of the targets. 

“Close.” Eren murmured by him. “That was pure luck.” 

“You think that was pure luck?” Levi asked him instead, turning to look at him again. 

Eren shrugged lightly in response.

Levi gave him a challenging look but didn't turn back to look at the targets. His eyes remained connected with Eren's while he held his hand up, clenching the knife, and threw it without hesitation. Eren looked away, watching the knife sticking right in the middle of the still moving target. “Luck?” Levi spoke up lightly. 

“You're being a show off.” Eren commented. 

“You wanted the damn toy.” Levi accused him. 

“Fine.” Eren replied simply, an innocent smile coming up on his lips. “One more.” Levi shrugged simply and remained turned away, still facing Eren as he brought his hand up with the last knife. 

Just as the knife was about to leave his hand, Eren leaned down, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss. Levi tensed for a moment, the knife flying out of his hand as he kissed Eren back, leaning forward slightly to bite at the others' lover lip. 

When Eren pulled away, his eyes went to the target and they widened. “Can't break my concentration, kid.” Levi commented, pointing at the prize he wanted to receive for winning. He was handed the big wolf toy, together with the guy muttering something about 'cheating.' 

Levi handed Eren the toy and raised an eyebrow. “We good?” 

Eren wrapped his arms around the toy with a cheesy grin. “Perfect.” He leaned down and Levi smiled, his hand coming up to cup Eren's cheek while they kissed slowly. 

“Come on, love birds!” Hanji called from the group ahead. 

They pulled away and Eren reached down, his fingers entwining with Levi's. They followed the group down the alley where the music had become louder and people were dancing in the street. For now, the song remained fast paced and Hanji was the first in there, pulling Mike into a dance Levi doubted she had tried before. 

They sat down on the benches around and Levi found himself talking with Armin about the holiday and its meaning before Armin had went into talking about his own passion for science and how he would love to go see something called 'the ocean' outside of the walls. Levi didn't mind listening. 

The song changed to a slow one and he watched Hanji grab Mike, his arms wrapping around her while she put her head on his shoulder and smiled lightly. One by one, the pairs around them had started leaving to join into the slow dance but Levi remained in his seat. Only when Eren sat down next to him with a suggestive smile, did he react. “No.” 

“Come on! We're the only people not dancing.” Eren whined, pulling at his hand. There was a faint smell of alcohol on his breath, now. 

“I can't dance, Eren.” Levi simply stated. 

“Sure you can.” Eren disagreed. “Everybody can. I mean, yeah, you have freakishly short legs but even you can do it!” Levi shot him a glare but Eren remained unrelenting. In the end, he had let Eren pull him to the middle of the street, not far from the other couples. 

“Now what?” Levi stood still while Eren rolled his eyes and grabbed his hands, clasping one in his own while he placed the other on his own hip. He then stepped closer to Levi, looking down at his mate in the darkness, his eyes glowing bright, colours contrasting. 

“Just follow my steps. Little steps. Keep with my pace.” Eren explained in a whisper before he swayed back, taking a step back and Levi immediately followed, taking a step forward. Eren nodded and gave him a smile. Eren stepped to the side and Levi followed. “Good.” 

Eren pressed closer, his cheek pressing against Levi's, his hot breath tickling at Levi's ear. Levi continued looking at their feet, making sure not to step on Eren's foot by an accident.

“This is nice.” Eren whispered, humming along to the song. 

“Who taught you to dance?” Levi asked instead. 

“My mom.” Eren whispered back. Levi said nothing in return, not wanting to hit that topic since they were having a good time. 

Levi couldn't help but think that this was perhaps the best moment they have had so far. Vulnerable moments helped the relationship along, relaxing moments brought them closer together and the kissing was definitely one of the better things he had felt, but this was all of that piled together; it was nice and quiet and he couldn't help but hear Eren's steady heartbeat right beside his ear when he leaned his head forward and placed his forehead on Eren's collar bone. 

He had enjoyed coming to this celebration every year but none of them compared to this. And that was perhaps because he was with Eren. Whenever Eren was beside him, things seemed to be better. 

“Eren.” He whispered, his head remaining leaned on the other. 

Eren hummed in a reply. 

“Eren, I l-”

“Corporal! Corporal, we have a problem!” The voice rang out throughout the alley. Levi paused in what he was about to say and turned around, finding Moblit running towards him, Hanji right in his steps. “There's a breach.” Moblit huffed out, out of breath. 

“That's not my problem.” Levi snapped in return, annoyed at the ruined moment. “There are soldiers on duty.” 

“No, Corporal,” Moblit breathed out while Hanji rubbed his back, helping him recover. “The wolf appeared inside the city. They're struggling to fight him off. He seems to possess intelligence but he smells like a Rogue. He's huge!” 

Levi's eyes widened at the description, finding it familiar. “Get me my gear.” Levi told him urgently. 

“I have it with me.” Moblit began running towards where he came from. 

“Hanji!” Levi called to her. “Begin evacuation, now.” 

Hanji furrowed her eyebrows. “Evacuation? What do you mean?” 

“Think about it, Hanji,” Levi growled, impatiently looking for Moblit to show up. “Why would one of the Rogues, just one, show up inside the walls and begin fighting soldiers? The biggest of them, too.” He spotted Moblit pushing through the crowd and began untying the stupid cloak still around his shoulders. 

Hanji's eyes widened. “It's a distraction.” 

Moblit stopped before him, opening the box and handing each part to Levi. Levi put them on in a hurry. “And they're planning something much bigger.” Levi confirmed. “Begin evacuation.” He stressed. 

Hanji nodded quickly, pushing through the crowd to begin the task. Eren remained frozen beside him while Levi expertly put on the gear in record time. 

“Levi!” Eren grabbed his attention. “I'm coming, too!” He grabbed Levi' elbow, keeping him in place. 

Levi turned to look at him. “This isn't a game, Eren. Go with Hanji. Maybe it's nothing. We'll take care of the Rogue and I'll be back.” He turned, walking pushing through the crowd. 

“Levi!” Eren called, following behind. Levi stopped in his steps again, turning around with impatience. “Don't do that.” Eren growled. “Don't make me sound like a useless kid.” 

Levi huffed, shaking his head slightly. He thought for a moment, time running out; but he needed Eren to be safe. “You wanted to be like me, right?” He suddenly spoke and Eren's eyes widened before he nodded slowly. “Then listen to my damn orders and don't argue. I told you to go with Hanji, and that's an order, Yeager.” His teeth clenched with the firm sentence.

Eren remained tense, staring him down in response. His lip twitched slightly before he nodded once. “As you wish, Corporal Levi.” He spat and then turned on his heel, pushing through the crowd again. 

Levi didn't have the time to think about the cold tone Eren used or the anger in those bright orbs of his. The grappling hooks shot out and within seconds he was in the air, moving towards the wall. 

He spotted the commotion not far from the wall. The huge wolf continued to evade the vampires with 3DMG, cleverly pulling at the grappling lines and clawing at the gas containers when they were in range. The wolves didn't stand a chance either, shoved away from the huge burgundy wolf by the sheer strength behind every hit and shove. 

But the wolf was slow. And that was his weak point. 

Levi lowered to the ground, probably using more gas than necessary, speed rising as he swung right above ground and sliced at one of the wolf's legs. The wolf whimpered and turned, eyes recognising Levi clearly. He snarled, his attention on Levi now. 

Levi paused on the side of a building, staring back. “What the fuck are you planning?” He murmured low and the wolf snarled in return, moving faster now to actually attack. He used one of the other walls to bounce off and his jaws snapped close in the place Levi had been sitting a second ago, but he was now on the move, circling around the wolf, lowering and slashing at one of its hind legs with accurate speed. 

A howl rang out through the night and the wolf paused in its action. He then turned and ran the opposite way, away from all the soldiers and Levi and towards the wall. Levi didn't bother wondering, he followed behind instantly, yelling for the others to do so too. 

The wolf was nearing the front gate and the tension within Levi's body rose; but even with his size, the wolf wouldn't be able to even make a dent in it. The gate could only be opened by pulling a level and two people were needed to do so. 

Another howl rang out, not far from them and the huge wolf didn't stop, making his way through the soldiers by the gate, his jaws snapping bones and blood spraying from his muzzle. Another howl and this time, Levi froze as he watched the other Rogue, the white wolf, appear from one of the tunnels near the wall. 

Snarling, he began attacking at the soldiers and Levi wondered what kind of a fucking plan this was. A figure appeared in the corner of his eye and he turned just in time to block and par and attack from the Rogue vampire before she flipped back and disappeared on a rooftop. So she was here too. What the fuck was happening? 

And then the smell hit him. The ground shook and soldiers began panicking. But Levi could smell them before they even made a show. He turned to the tunnel exit nearby. 

And the masses piled out. Rogues of all colours and sizes, both lycans and vampires, all pushing out of the tunnel and into the open space, snarling and growling and scratching and biting and killing everything in their way. 

A red flare was shot out into the sky as a sign of emergency. 

The Rogues were inside the walls. The intruders must have succeeded in digging a tunnel which led from one side of the wall to the other. They had completed their task and nobody had even predicted that it might happen. 

Through his shock, he didn't notice the vampire reappear. She had killed the soldiers by the gate and was now holding one of the two levers, her gaze focused on the other lever. Levi's eyes widened and he shot out into the air in an attempt to stop her before she could proceed. 

But the white wolf has already changed back to his human form and pulled on the lever. The massive gate creaked under the effort as it began lifting. Levi could still stop them. 

But then the vampire snapped the lever off, a winning smirk on her face and Levi stopped in his tracks. There was no hope now. 

A loud bell rang out, signalling that evacuation of the citizens had began. 

Levi paused on top of a building, his eyes scanning over all the dead bodies and the Rogues spreading over the area. As soon as the gate rose high enough, more Rogues began piling in and this was the end. 

The walls had been breached and there was no way for them to stop it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there you go. Quick update.  
> There you have some fluff. Levi gaining feelings for a wolf (well, both of them), some action, some more fluff and some more information on what happened with Isabel. I've seen that a lot of you weren't happy with the whole Isabel/mate thing, but there's an explanation and I've replied to those comments, so take a look if you're wondering :)  
> Also, I feel like some of you might be losing interest? If you are, please tell me what I can do better. Like, I don't know, it just feels like some of you don't bother with this story anymore and I want to make the story as good as I can for you guys.  
> I also tried to add humour, though I'm not too good at it.  
> The next chapter should be action packed.  
> Thanks to everybody reading and giving kudos and commenting! I really appreciate it, guys! :D Like, you don't understand how much this means to me. English isn't even my first language, dammit.  
> You can find my tumblr [here](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/) and anything related to the story is posted on tumblr under the tag fic: etch.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People were dying, and they would continue to die: the realisation struck him. They were all utterly helpless against the dangers that crawled outside the walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to point out that I changed the walls slightly. There are no outer districts like Shiganshina was. Here, the districts are simply within the walls, like different cities. There are three walls. Wall Maria has four gates; in the north, south, west and east. Wall Rose has two gates: in the north and south. Wall Sina only has one gate in the south. There are no outer districts, so if the Rogues destroyed one gate, then the whole of Wall Maria is gone.

This was the day humanity received a grim reminder: there were monsters lurking outside the walls and in reality, they would never be safe.

"Hold them back! Do not let a single fucker through!" Levi yelled over the screams, quickly scanning the crowd to see how many humans were there. They had no chance of survival, after all. Even lycans and vampires who did not join the army had some means of protecting themselves, but humans had nothing. 

He swooped down, turning sharply to the right and spinning in the air, his blades cutting at one of the Rogue lycans advancing down the street. He dodged another’s jaws snapping into the air after him and turned a sharp left, pausing on the wall for a second before he dropped down to the ground and caught a Rogue vampire from behind, piercing its heart with his silver blade. 

“Hold your position until the Vanguard gets here!” He yelled, watching as more and more soldiers died within the chaos. He heard howls in the distance, howls which indicated that The Garrison troops were on the way. 

“Corporal, we can’t hold them! There’s too many of them!” A yell rang out and Levi followed the voice, watching a vampire struggling to fight a Rogue lycan off. 

He shot out his own grappling hooks and swung above the said lycan, his blades piercing at the nape of its neck in a smooth move, blood spraying and dripping to the ground. 

His eyes followed to a crying sound and he found a human within the commotion. A human child. The child’s dark hair and blue eyes reminded him of somebody familiar. The child was currently pulling at the arm of his dead parent, lying on the ground in their own pool of blood. Levi’s eyes narrowed, vision getting clearer as he watched a Rogue near the child. 

He moved fast, his hand tensing with his blade ready to act quickly. He pressed on the button harder, using more gas than he should have as he swung right above the Rogue lycan, his blades putting it down in a swift move. He then turned and dropped down next to the child. 

“Help me, please.” The child cried, his bright blue eyes looking up at Levi helplessly. “Mommy’s not moving.” He continued, pulling at Levi’s sleeve and pointed at his parent. 

As those bright blue eyes stared back at him, Levi understood whom the kid reminded him of. An image of Yuuki flashed in Levi’s mind and he acted without a second thought, grabbing the child and picking him up with one arm. “I’m sorry.” He murmured, unsure of whom he was addressing. 

He shot out into the air, placing the child on one of the rooftops before grabbing one of the soldiers and commanding him to take the child to the Rear Guard. The soldier nodded before he shot out and disappeared around the corner with the child in his arms. 

Levi returned to the fight, dropping to the ground, his fists clenched as he strode through the alley. A wolf pounced on him but he rolled and dodged, his blades skimming over the belly of the beast as he left it whimpering behind. He stabbed a vampire through the heart, unexpectedly and quickly. He then dodged an attack from one other Rogue vampire as he spun and cut his blades across the vampire’s legs before stabbing at its heart when it dropped to the ground. 

“Levi!” He looked up, shooting up to join Hanji on the side of a building. “Let’s get going.” She told him. 

“Where’s Eren?” He asked, his eyes looking around carefully. 

“He stayed in the Rear Guard with Mikasa.” Hanji notified him and Levi watched as the Vanguard appeared, Survey Corps soldiers swinging through the streets in their 3DMG while massive groups of lycans followed down the street. “The Vanguard is here. Let’s get back to the Rear Guard and help with evacuation. They’re moving fast.” Hanji told him, her eyes focused on the Rogues moving down the street before they clashed with The Garrison lycans. 

He was hesitant at first but then he nodded, his eyes flitting to the gate for a moment. This was a lost cause. The losses of today would be huge, and evacuating half of the population (if not more) into the cramped space behind Wall Rose and Wall Sina would be close to impossible. 

They shot out into the air, moving between buildings and bridges, over buildings and houses. Once in a while Levi swooped down to kill a lone Rogue that had moved forward, but that didn’t change the fact that the Rogues were moving up fast, and if evacuation didn’t speed up, they would need to seal off the gates and let people die rather than risk Wall Rose being compromised. 

They had reached the Middle Guard at the same time the Rogues did. The soldiers had begun fighting and hopefully, these would last longer. The Vanguard was, after all, the easiest of the obstacles and smaller in size than the other two groups meant to protect. 

Hanji shook her head to him, telling him to continue down the streets and not get involved in the fight. With his teeth clenched, he understood that it was the sensible thing to do. 

When they reached the Rear Guard, a part of Levi was hoping to see Eren, to make sure he was okay. There was screaming and shoving and swearing as the people tried to pile out through the gates. Mikasa was in the front, arguing with one of the greedy human higher-ups about the stock and how it was definitely not more important than the people. 

He landed beside her, grabbing her elbow. “Where’s Eren?” He asked quickly and she turned to him with impatience. 

“He’s with Armin.” She told him simply, clearly annoyed before she turned back to the human and growled out a threat, which persuaded him to make sure stock went in last. 

It only took him a minute to find Armin, and not because he was in plain sight, but because said lycan was running towards him, yelling his name. “Levi! I tried to find you!” Levi raised an eyebrow as Armin stopped in front of him. 

“Where's Eren?” Levi questioned again, his voice becoming urgent as he saw the tears gathering in Armin's eyes. 

“He went to the vampire headquarters.” Armin informed him. “I tried to stop him but I couldn't, I'm so sorry.” He whimpered. 

“Vampire headquarters?” Mikasa appeared again, clearly done with the situation and now focused. “Why the hell would he go there?” 

Levi's eyes widened as realisation struck. “Midnight.” He murmured, making the others frown. “The damn dog. She's there.” His teeth gritted at Eren's stupidity, to go risking him life for a damn wolf which was supposed to be extinct anyway. 

He began pushing through the people, his hands firmly holding onto the 3DMG handles, ready to shoot off. 

“Levi! I didn’t know!” Mikasa caught up with him, wide-eyed and trying to keep to his walking pace. 

“It doesn’t matter. I’m bringing him back and we’re going up the damn wall.” Levi snapped in return. “Continue with evacuation.” He spoke simply. 

“I'm coming with you.” She replied quickly, before he could shoot off into the night. 

“I don't give a fuck what you do. Just don't slow me down.” He growled back and then shot out into the air, towards the Middle Guard. The headquarters were at the centre of the city and that meant that they would definitely face some Rogues along the way. 

He swung through the air, grappling hooks gripping at building after building. The black-furred wolf was right at his heels and for a moment, he was actually impressed with the skill Mikasa possessed, especially since she wasn't a pure blood lycan. 

He lowered, slicing at the nape of a Rogue that was in Mikasa's way before he shot higher into the air again. How could Eren be so stupid as to go alone? Didn't he know that the Rogues were after him? Levi had made it completely clear that he was in danger more than anybody else. 

Moving over the buildings was much quicker than travelling on a horse would be, but the thought struck Levi hard. With such distance moving there and back, he was ought to run out of gas and fast. Even with the skill he possessed, survival without gas would be completely hopeless. He had to make it back over the wall, after all. 

Mikasa growled in the distance and he watched her tackle a lycan Rogue, her claws working to injure the other wolf. He paused on the side of a building for a moment, gritting his teeth as he realised they didn't have time and he was snow certain he would need her later. 

He took out the gun stashed at his hip and aimed, pulling the trigger and watching as the lycan whimpered and paused for a moment, waiting for its paw to heal. “Get going!” Levi yelled out to Mikasa. “We don't have time for fights!” He shot off again, hearing her paws hit the ground running right behind him. 

Minute after minute passed, and his finger twitched to press down on the gas harder, but he knew he had to savour it. There was still the whole way back, and he wasn't sure what their chances were in not coming over any Rogues. The Rogues would be spreading over the wall they had taken over now, but they were lucky in the sense that the headquarters were relatively close to Wall Rose, and to the opposite side than the Rogues were coming in through. 

Seeing the flags waving in the wind in the distance, he recognised the green as the Survey Corps flag. Pausing for a moment, his eyes scanned over the surroundings quickly, widening. A fire had struck out as he knew it would; when there was an emergency, destroying the base had become a priority. It was a security measure. But he didn't think it would get as huge as this by this time. He only hoped Eren wasn't still inside. 

He breathed in, trying to find the scent of his mate nearby. He looked to Mikasa who had stopped next to him, her nose high up in the air. She growled slightly and he understood that as a negative. Perhaps Eren was gone? Mikasa howled then, the sound piercing through the air and over the crackling of the fire. They waited a few seconds, and when they received a howl in return, Levi didn't waste time. 

He saw movement in the corner of his eye, but when he turned, he saw nobody there. Instead, he swung right towards the building and crashed through one of the windows, rolling to the floor and taking out his blade. The fire had not spread into the room yet, and he heard Mikasa whimper from the outside; she would clearly find a different way in. 

He ran out of the room and into the hallway, quickly scanning for the nearest route out. “Eren!” He yelled over the crackling of the fire, freezing as he rounded a corner and was cut off by the flames. He backed away and ran down the other hallway. 

There was a loud crashing sound and he instantly froze. A different smell rose up in the air, one of a vampire mixed with a faint scent of a Rogue and his eyes widened. He ran faster, realising that he didn't get here first. The Rogues were here, or at least one of them was. 

A quiet barking came and as he rounded the corner, something crashed into his legs. He picked up Midnight, looking ahead into the hallway where she had come from. At the same time, Mikasa rounded a corner, snarling as she recognised the scent too. 

Levi put down Midnight next to Mikasa. “Take her out of here.” He told her, hoping that lycans were able to carry things in their mouth without hurting them. “I'll get Eren.” 

Mikasa snarled for a moment, disagreeing but once Midnight whimpered and Levi had already began running down the hallway, she had no choice but to agree. She gently grabbed Midnight by the nape of her neck with her own muzzle, keeping her teeth away as much as possible before she turned and began leaving the building.

Crashing into room after room, Levi felt the anticipation build up. “Eren!” Cashing into another room, he choked on the smoke in the air, coughing as he clenched his fists. Through the smoke, he saw figures, and as one came forward, he brought up his blade and let his own fangs extend at the Rogue female vampire. 

They were in one of the dormitories and beds surrounded the room. He didn't have the space to utilize the 3DMG. Instead, he drew his other blade and spotted Eren's wolf form down the room, weakly trying to keep himself off the ground and swaying, clearly choking on the smoke in the air. 

Having sensed the threat, the female vampire approached Levi, her own claws at the ready. He attacked her first this time, sick of her interfering. She dodged the blade to the side, disappearing in the smoke for a moment before she appeared again and swung the claws at him which he dodged and swung his blade in return, catching the corner of her arm with the sharp end. 

“I don't know what your fucking plan is.” Levi snapped as she disappeared in the smoke again. He blinked, his eyes turning red. “Or what the fuck it is you want - “ He stopped as she attacked from the back, her foot kicking at his own in an attempt to trip him. He jumped and dodged just in time. 

“It's not that hard.” She hissed in reply, bringing her hands up into a defensive move. “If you didn't keep getting in my way, it would be much easier.” She kicked again, kicking right at the side of his knee and he felt pain erupt throughout the bone as his knee gave out. His back hit the ground but he pounced off within seconds, dodging her attack and spinning with his own blades, hearing her hiss when his blade caught skin. 

“You're not getting Eren.” Levi hissed in reply and his eyes widened before he looked over to Eren. The wolf lay on the ground, breathing weakly. The smoke had started to burn at Levi's chest now, and he knew he had to hurry. 

“I don't need him.” She snapped in return. “For now.” She added with a smirk, dodging another attack. “He's not the one we need yet.” 

“What the fuck is your problem, then?” He snapped. 

She laughed and reached into her belt, her hand picking up a bandage. He only then noticed there was a cut on her hand. “Wouldn't you like to know?” She laughed and backed away. He heard a crash and realised she had escaped through the window. He immediately stashed his blades and walked over to an unconscious Eren now, his human body having taken over. 

He quickly looked around the room, grabbing one of the bed covers and throwing it over Eren's bare body before he picked him up. “Stupid brat.” He murmured before coughing, feeling his own lungs collapsing. He stepped to the edge of the window and dropped, feeling the impact his feet made with the ground. 

“Mikasa!” The wolf appeared around a corner, Midnight still hanging on but whimpering impatiently between Mikasa's jaws. “Take Eren.” He carefully put Eren's unconscious body on top of Mikasa's back, hearing her whimper lightly. “I'll take out anybody in our way. Just don't drop him.” He told her and she nodded once, turning her head lightly to nuzzle at the side of Eren's face. 

He tapped at his gas reserve, hearing how much gas there was left. His lungs were still burning, but it would pass. He wondered how long Eren spent in there, and how quickly he would need to get him to the medic. But staying alive was a priority for now. 

He shot out into the air, keeping a slightly slower pace now that Mikasa had two other beings to take care of. He couldn't believe that they had all risked their lives for a damn wolf pup. 

He lowered, seeing a stray lycan Rogue. He circled it quickly, cutting at the nape of its neck and then carrying on down the alley. In the distance, he noticed a yellow flare being shot out. That meant the Rogue had reached the Rear Guard. This was not good. The Rear Guard were the best of the best, but they were the last line of defence, and the evacuation was clearly not over yet.

Levi lowered to the ground and grabbed at an arm of a Rogue vampire, lifting him up into the air. The vampire hissed as Levi threw it into the air but then he spun, his blades cutting at the vampire's flesh before it dropped to the ground, dead. 

Mikasa growled behind him and he turned for a moment, seeing Eren move. Eren's head rose up and panic appeared in his bright orbs. Mikasa whimpered slightly and Eren sat up, wrapping the covers tighter around him before he looked up to Levi. 

Seeing they were close now, Levi turned around for a moment, surveying the setting to see there were no Rogues around. But it would help if they could move faster. “Eren!” He yelled out, which caught Eren's attention. “Are you alright? Can you shift?” He yelled. 

Eren gave him a quick nod and then he was jumping off Mikasa's back, shifting mid-air before the brown-furred paws hit the ground running. Mikasa then sped up, nudging Eren slightly with her nose to which he gave her a fond look. 

Levi watched over then buildings and the smell of Rogues hit him fast. They would need to run past the Rear Guard. 

Seeing the soldiers fighting the Rogues which had began spreading over the area of the wall, Eren felt his own eyes widen. Levi turned back for a moment, registering the hatred within Eren's eyes; he recognised that look, and he definitely didn't like it. “Eren!” He yelled out, snapping the wolf out from the trance. “Don't you dare, Eren!” 

Eren gave him a soft look and then he paused in his run. Mikasa stopped right after, turning to look at him with a whimper. Levi paused on the side of a building too, his eyes warning Eren not to do it. But Eren had already decided; he would not be useless in this fight. He turned sideways and ran between the buildings, with Mikasa shooting out right after him. 

Levi scaled up the building and followed too, seeing Eren engage a Rogue lycan into a fight. Mikasa helped, but kept back because of the little wolf still between her jaws. 

Levi swooped down and cut at an incoming Rogue lycan before spinning and attacking again, cutting at the nape of his neck. He paused and then attacked a vampire Rogue, pausing on the ground to cut at the leg and then waist before he shot out and circled, attacking from the back and stabbing her in the back, exactly where her heart was. 

“Eren!” He watched Eren claw out the nape of the opposing lycan and Levi approached. When he did though, Eren turned to him with a snarl, jaws snapping towards his direction. 

Levi paused in shock and he watched the realisation register in Eren's eyes before they widened and he quickly approached, nuzzling at Levi with a whimper of apology. There was something different about Eren, the smell of a Rogue, and inside, Levi hoped it wasn't what he was hoping it was. 

“Let's go.” He forced out, stepping away from Eren firmly and shooting out into the air. Guilt-ridden, Eren followed. They reached the wall quickly, and Levi instantly spotted Hanji taking the control over the evacuation, which was still happening. He picked up Midnight from Mikasa before he handed it to Hanji. “Take the wolf.” He told her, motioning to the wall. 

He looked back at the Rear Guard fighting in the distance. There wasn't much time left. 

“Eren!” He approached Eren. “Shift. We're going up.” 

Eren stepped back stubbornly, shaking his head. 

Levi grabbed at the side of his muzzle, making Eren look at him. “I am not in a joking mood, Eren. Shift.” He growled out, his own canines lengthening. “You've caused enough trouble, today.” He registered the hurt spread over Eren's eyes, but then Eren was shifting and Levi kept his eyes high up as Hanji handed him a blanket and he quickly wrapped it around Eren. 

They were all startled by a loud sound and Levi instantly looked into the air, seeing the yellow flare. The Rear Guard were defeated. 

And the evacuation was not over. 

“We're going.” He snapped, directing Hanji to take Mikasa to the top of the wall while he grabbed Eren's arm. 

“That's pathetic.” Eren spat behind him. “Are you running away from a fight?” 

Levi narrowed his eyes. “I'm not running away from anything.” He growled back. “I'm very capable of going down there this instant. But I don't want you around here, and I have a feeling you won't leave unless I force you to.” 

“Damn right.” Eren simply huffed. 

Levi paused for a moment, his eyes flickering to the evacuation before he turned back and watched the scattered Rear Guard retreating. His grappling hooks shot out into the wall and he had them scaling it in no time, Eren in his arms. 

When they got to the top, Levi looked away while Eren knelt by the edge of the wall and watched everything unravel. 

The bells rang out and Eren's eyes widened. “Levi!” He yelled, turning to look at Levi. “They're closing the gates! There's still people out there!” He yelled, standing up frantically. 

Levi turned to look at him with a sigh. “Those people can't be helped, Eren.” He muttered sadly. “We can't risk losing Wall Rose.” 

“Levi! Stop them!” Eren cried out, watching people begin panicking further as the gates began lowering and Survey Corps soldiers began scaling the wall, some helping lycans up. The lycans were running up the side of the wall in the specially designed corridor, and once they were all up, the way would be detonated so that Rogues could not use it. “There's innocent people down there! We can keep the Rogues back!” 

Levi shook his head, scrunching his nose as he quickly noticed a deep cut on Eren's shoulder. He stepped up, his eyes widening as he remembered the cut on the Rogue vampire's hand from before. “She infected you.” He whispered and Eren stepped away from him. 

“How can you stand here and do nothing?!” He yelled accusingly. “How dare you call yourself 'Humanity's Strongest'?!” Eren yelled and Levi cringed slightly. “I'd rather go down there and save a few innocent people and die, than stand here and watch it all happen!” He yelled again, shaking his head before looking down again. 

“You don't understand, Eren.” Levi whispered simply, too tired to argue further on this. “This is the kind of thing that comes with experience. You just got out of training; you have none.” He waved over one of the medics. “Now, we better hope you're still immune and that wasn't a one-time thing.” But of course he would be. If Eren was like the Rogues who broke in, then he would forever be immune. He had nothing to worry about. 

One of the Survey Corps medics stepped over and Levi motioned towards Eren but when the man stepped closer, Eren's eyes glowed bright, his canines lengthening with a growl. 

“Eren, don't.” Levi spoke again. There was no force left in his voice. He was looking down the wall now at the blood shed that has begun. The gates had been shut and the helpless humans had been left to fend for themselves. The Rogues had attacked now. The blood had begun to run down the streets. “Leave us. I'll take him back to the headquarters.” Levi spoke to the soldier, who nodded, saluted and then left to help other soldiers. 

He turned around and watched Eren for a moment, watched the sadness overcome his eyes, watched the tears gather in the brims. Eren looked up, catching his eye contact. Without a word, he stepped closer and Levi understood. 

Eren nuzzled his face into Levi's shoulder, his shoulders shaking slightly with the strain of holding back the tears. “I'm sorry.” He whimpered, a broken noise amidst the darkness around them. “I almost attacked you. If I didn't go off, you could have been down there; you could have saved some people.” He pressed harder against Levi and Levi's arms wrapped around him in return. 

“Stop.” He whispered simply. “I don't want to talk about any of this right now. We have to go back to headquarters. We need to make sure you won't get infected, and then Erwin will probably call a meeting; Wall Rose and Wall Sina alone will not be able to take in so many people.” Levi was focused on the issue at hand, no matter how much his instincts were calling to wrap around Eren and take him back to the headquarters before getting into bed and falling asleep. 

People were dying, and they would continue to die; and the realisation struck him. They were all utterly helpless against the dangers that crawled outside the walls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so yeah. Sorry for the long wait but I knew where I wanted the plot to go and how I wanted it to go, I just couldn't find the inspiration to actually write it, you know? But hopefully, I'll have some sort of an idea of how I want it to go now.  
> Thank you for the AMAZING comments on the last chapter! And if any of you are reading, I've posted chapter 2 of One Life. I also already wrote a Halloween one-shot with demon!Levi and ghosthunter!Eren, so that should be fun ;)  
> Thanks for everything guys, and I hoped you like the action-packed chapter.  
> Also, can I bring your attention to this amazing cosplay of [Rogue!Eren](http://catxtopia.tumblr.com/post/100297751758/etch-werewolf-eren-makeup-test-inspired-by/) because it's AMAZING!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa and Armin exchanged a look. “There's a government meeting going on.” Armin told him. “They're deciding what to do. There is hardly enough food for all the humans inside Wall Rose and Wall Sina. They'll start dying out of starvation if we don't do something. And that's not even considering what the vampires are going to eat. The fewer humans we have, the less blood supply there is given willingly.”

“Well, this is certainly an improvement.” Eren pulled on the chain clasped around his wrist. His eyes travelled up the chain and to the bed frame where it was connected. He looked around the room slowly; he remembered falling asleep with Levi whispering by his ear, but he wasn't too aware of his surroundings last night. 

But the thoughts came back now. Wall Maria was breached. They lost a third, if not more, of their land. The Rogues had won. 

“Eren?” He looked up at the voice. He hadn't noticed anybody else in the room before. 

“Armin,” He breathed a sigh of relief. His eyes turned to another figure in the room. Although she didn't look enthusiastic to be there at all, Mikasa's worried eyes were trained on him. “Where are we?” He looked around the room again, but it didn't look familiar at all. 

“We're in Corporal Levi's quarters.” Armin spoke up first. “Vampire headquarters inside Wall Rose.” He added once a confused look glazes over Eren's eyes. 

“Reeks of vampires at every corner.” Mikasa muttered under her breath. 

“Well, they do live here.” Armin pointed out quietly with a shrug. 

“How do you feel, Eren?” Mikasa questioned. She sat up straight and her eyes focused solely on him. 

“I'm fine.” He spoke before he even had a moment to think about it. He then paused and shook out his body slightly. “My shoulder hurts.” He informed them after a moment, turning his head to look at his shoulder. He brought up his free arm and pulled his shirt away, looking at the bandage on his shoulder. 

Armin seemed to tense up slightly. “You remember the Rogue vampire from last night?” 

Eren nodded. “She attacked me.” 

“We found out who she is.” Mikasa spoke up. “I got a good look at her and then they brought us the list of all infected vampires from the past few years. Levi and I spent a good two hours looking through all the pictures before identifying her.” She explained. “Her name is Annie Leonhart. We also identified the other two Rogues to be Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Hoover.” 

“What help is that?” Eren asked blankly. “Knowing their names isn't going to help us find them.” 

Armin pointed at his shoulder. “You came into contact with Rogue blood.” He sighed sadly. 

Eren's eyes widened. “I'm infected again?” He remembered now; Levi had repeated it multiple times last night but Eren was too much out of it to really listen. He also remembered another moment, one that he was sure would appear in his nightmares, like the other continuous nightmare that made an appearance over and over. He had almost attacked Levi, last night. 

“Yes.” Armin spoke up but his eyes widened as he saw the shock appear on Eren's face. “But, wait!” He quickly exclaimed. “Hanji already diagnosed you. She said nothing changed with your blood, so the results should be the same as last time.” Eren nodded. Hearing this from Armin, who usually freaked out pretty easy, was comforting. “Corporal Levi thinks that you're exactly the same as the Rogues who broke in. Which means that you'll remain immune.” 

“Don't sugar coat it, Armin.” Mikasa spoke up. “The process will repeat. Your internal temperature is already rising. You're burning up.” 

His stomach turned at the thought. The last time he went through this, it was torture. He could feel his blood boiling, his skin burning up to the point where the pain became unbearable. 

“Where are they?” Eren spoke up instead. “Levi and Hanji.” 

Mikasa and Armin exchanged a look. “There's a government meeting going on.” Armin told him. “They're deciding what to do. There is hardly enough food for all the humans inside Wall Rose and Wall Sina. They'll start dying out of starvation if we don't do something. And that's not even considering what the vampires are going to eat. The less humans we have, the less blood supply there is given willingly.” 

“And if there's no willing blood supply...” Eren trailed off. 

“Then vampires will just take what they want.” Mikasa finished for him. 

Eren nodded, but he wasn't listening now. He was focused on something completely different. He remembered those names: Bert and Reiner. They were familiar to him, and he strained to remember where he knew them from. 

“They were our neighbours.” He muttered silently once the thought struck him. 

“What?”

“Bertholdt and Reiner.” He looked up at the two of his best friends. “They lived next to us. They're a few years older. I remember because they were - “ He paused, “They are, mates. But Reiner became infected.” He looked up at the other two. 

Mikasa nodded. “I read their files.” She told him. “A few years back, the system wasn't the same. Lycans came back from outside the wall and they weren't checked. If they started showing symptoms, they weren't executed. They were simply pushed outside the walls again.” Eren listened as Mikasa explained; he remembered how harsh the system had been. “Realising he was infected, Reiner went to Bertholdt. The symptoms were already clear; he was insane. He tried to infect Bertholdt, and even though his mate fought back, he succeeded. They were both exiled outside the walls.” 

“Revenge seems to be their excuse.” Armin added simply. 

“Well they fucking succeeded.” Eren snarled. “I hope they're happy with themselves. They helped Rogues get in and now hundreds, if not thousands, of people died and will continue to die.”

“But how is Annie involved?” Mikasa muttered to herself. 

Looking away from her, Armin faced Eren. “How are you doing?” He asked, his eyes clearly referring to the talk they had before. 

Eren shook his head slightly. “It's worse, Armin.” 

Mikasa raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?” She asked, spotting the sneaky glances they sent each other. “What's worse?” 

“I believe the answer to that is the sexual tension between him and Levi.” They all looked up as the door opened and Eren almost snarled, seeing the familiar face. 

“What the fuck are you doing here, Jean?” He snapped. 

Jean rolled his eyes. “Keep your panties on. I'm here to escort Mikasa and Armin out. The meeting is over and all the veterans will be coming back.” He turned towards Mikasa. “We should get going.” 

“Who the hell would sent you?” Eren sneered. 

“They didn't.” Marco's head peeked around the door frame, a small apologetic smile on his lips. “He's with me.” He stepped fully into the room and straightened beside Jean. Jean gave him a small smile, his arm coming up to wrap around Marco's waist and pull him closer. Eren gagged silently. “You guys have to get going. The whole 'lycans mixing with vampires' thing.” Marco rolled his eyes. 

Mikasa and Armin stood up. “Um,” Eren started, pulling at the chain around his wrist. “I'm gonna need some help.” He pointed out. 

Marco smiled lightly. “You're staying.” He stated. “Corporal Levi's orders.” He gave him a wide, suggestive grin. Eren rolled his eyes as Mikasa and Armin stepped out of the room. 

Jean remained last, his eyes scanning over the chain. “Levi is into some kinky shit, I bet.” He teased. 

“I do believe that's none of your business.” Jean's eyes widened and Eren grinned as the other turned around and was faced with Levi, casually leaning against the door frame with a raised eyebrow. “Now, get out. My room smells like dogs already. I don't need more than one.” Eren rolled his eyes while Jean blushed all up the neck and hurried out the room. 

“So, is this like a sex dungeon? Cause I gotta tell you, I'm not feeling it.” Eren spoke up. Levi took off his jacket and hung it neatly on a chair before he approached the bed. 

He leaned his knee on the bed and brought his hand up to feel Eren's forehead. “How are you feeling?” He murmured. 

Eren sighed, his shoulders going slack. “I've been better.” He admitted. Levi nodded slightly, but he looked tired and completely worn out. “Have you slept?” Eren asked. 

Levi hesitated and when he shook his head lightly, Eren frowned. 

“Working yourself to exhaustion isn't going to help any of us.” He pointed out sternly. Levi got up and made his way over to his desk, where he grabbed a clean glass of the top. He then walked over to a cabinet and poured a red liquid into his cup before bringing it up to his lips. Eren smelt the stench of blood fill the room. 

“The government doesn't give a shit.” Levi replied simply. “All they want to do is save their own fucking asses. They don't give a shit about anybody outside of Wall Sina.” Eren listened intently. “We've set up The Garrison on the walls. Some vampires are refusing to co-operate because of the incoming blood shortage.” He turned towards Eren, leaning on the cabinet. “It's a fucking joke. How can they not co-operate? Is it not bad enough that the government is clearly biased towards vampires anyway?” 

Eren's eyes slowly moved to the jug behind Levi. There was blood for now, but he imagined the blood not being there; but Levi had him. Vampires couldn't drink from other vampires, but lycans were closer to humans. His blood was still good to feed a vampire. 

“Why are you complaining?” Eren found himself saying. “It's the lycans who should be pissed. You can have whatever you want.” 

“Maybe I actually give a shit about equality.” Levi snapped back irritably. He poured himself another glass of the red liquid. “Erwin spoke with Nile Dawk.” Levi spoke up again. Eren sat up. “Nile agreed to hand you over to the Survey Corps. If you don't want to be in The Garrison, you don't have to. You don't have to continue doing the duties you did if you don't want to.” 

“Just like that?” 

“Oh, I'm sure the Military Police will have an issue with that.” Levi sneered. “But Erwin will sort it out somehow.” Levi put down the cup. “I'm sorry about the chain.” He spoke up again. “It's not so much for mine or your sake but for the sake of my furniture if you were to freak out.” Eren nodded, his eyes scanning over the one knife Levi kept at his belt. He was almost sure that knife wasn't going anywhere. 

“Did you talk about the Rogues?” 

Levi smirked. “Look at you,” He drawled. “Asking me about top secret meetings.” 

Eren shrugged slightly. “I do think I need to abuse your status.” He pointed out simply. 

Levi shrugged lightly. “We tried to find a common factor with them and you.” He said. “But we go nothing past the fact you're all from Shiganshina.” 

“Even Annie?”

“Even Annie.” Levi frowned at the name. “Her goal wasn't to kill you last night.” He pointed out. “I don't think it's ever been their goal. They need you for something.” Levi's eyes dropped to the bandage at Eren's shoulder and he pushed away from the cabinet before making his way over to the bed. “Her goal was to infect you again. I'm not too sure why, though. We already agreed that you'd be immune forever.” He pulled back Eren's shirt slightly and peeled back the bandage, frowning at the infected injury. The cut itself was healing quickly, but there was no question about the blood being poisoned. 

Levi leaned back slightly and reached into his pocket, taking out a key and slotting it into the chain. He turned it and the chain fell off Eren's wrist, which he immediately grabbed and massaged lightly. “Shouldn't you keep that on?” Eren murmured. 

Levi looked down at him. “I'm pretty confident you're no threat to me.” He pointed out. 

Eren looked away; he was a threat last night. There was a haze hanging on his mind. He remembered the urge to kill the Rogues, the anger that had overtook his body before he made the decision to join in the fight without Levi's permission. He remembered how alive his body became when he ripped into that Rogue. He didn't remember allowing his body to snarl at Levi, to threaten his mate; that part was hazy. It was almost as if he couldn't control his own body. 

Instead, he pulled Levi closer and hugged him tightly. “Where's Midnight?” He muttered, nuzzling into Levi's chest as he pulled the vampire down on the bed. Levi wrapped around him, lying down on the bed sideways, facing Eren. 

“Hanji became kind of obsessed with her.” Levi muttered in reply. “She'll give her back, at some point.” Levi added with a shrug. “Was it worth going into a burning building to get her?” 

Eren sighed, pushing himself closer to Levi. “It was.” He whispered. “If you love someone, you're willing to do anything for them.” He added quietly. 

Levi sighed and ran his fingers through Eren's hair. “I guess so.” He replied in a whisper. 

Eren leaned back slightly, his eyes connecting with Levi's own grey orbs. He leaned down and left a chaste kiss upon Levi's lips. He pulled back for a moment, smiled and then leaned down again, this kiss longer. Levi turned to his back, pulling Eren on top of him as they continued kissing slowly. 

When they did pull away, Eren gave him a small smile and kissed the end of Levi's nose, to which the other furrowed his eyebrows in distaste. “Get some sleep.” Eren whispered. 

“Is that an order?” Levi smirked. 

Eren grinned back. “Yeah, it is.” He nuzzled Levi's neck, wrapping his arms around the other's body. Levi's presence helped the quickly rising pain to go away. 

Levi hummed lightly, a smile on his lips as he kissed the top of Eren's head. There were still many things to deal with, but for now with Eren in his arms, he could forget them. 

~~*~~*~~

_“That's enough!”_

_**It's never enough.** _

_“Look around you! There are people dead! Innocent people!”_

_**Nobody is truly innocent.** _

_“Their blood is on your hands! Do you not care?!”_

_**There is never enough blood.** _

_“Eren! Stop! Don't do this!”_

_**It's already too late.**_

_His own bloodshot eyes met the eyes of the vampire stood before him, the woman covered in blood from head to toe, crooked glasses shielding her own red orbs. He snarled and attacked; it was already too late._

He shot up from the dream, his legs getting tangled in the covers and he felt his body slip off the bed before he hit the ground hard. The momentary pain took his attention away from spreading burning across his whole body and he gasped as he felt the pain reach a maximum. 

He curled up by the bed, oblivious to the world as his body shook. This dream had been just as bad as the previous one; he was helpless, unable to control what was happening. 

“Do you get dreams like that often?” He shot up to his feet, his claws already lengthening and canines sharpening to protect himself from a possible threat. He was sure Levi wasn't in the room because the spot next to him on the bed was cold and empty, but he hadn't noticed Hanji sitting on Levi's desk. 

He couldn't look her in the eyes; his dream was on a constant repeat and the image of Hanji in his nightmare and Hanji in real life was quickly getting mixed up and combined. 

“I guess they're more like nightmares.” Hanji shrugged slightly, her legs swinging forward and back as she looked around the room. “I heard that people usually get nightmares when they're worried.” She raised an eyebrow. “Anything on your mind, Eren?” 

He didn't reply, because his answer would have been rather obvious. Instead, he grabbed a towel Levi had left out for him and wiped the sweat gathering at his forehead. “Where's Levi?” He muttered instead. The pain was quickly becoming unbearable, and though he didn't want to mention it in front of Hanji, he needed Levi to be next to him. 

“Council meeting.” Hanji informed him. “We might have a hunch about our next actions.” 

“Yeah?” Eren turned to look at her, but couldn't bring himself to look her straight in the eyes. 

“Regarding Wall Maria, there's a limit on blood that's been put up. Bars are banned from serving blood for enjoyment and pleasure purposes. Any human kids over the age of fifteen who do not have a job are being sent to help out with growing crops. We have stationed double the amount of guards in any underground tunnels.” She explained and he listened intently. “Regarding you...” She trailed off hesitantly. 

He frowned and flinched as a wave of pain washed over his body again. “What is it?” 

“When is the last time you spoke with your father?” 

~~*~~*~~

“Levi, stay behind, please.” Levi stopped in his steps and turned around again, facing Erwin and the mass of chair surrounding his desk. The other members of the council had began leaving the room, whispering amongst themselves, and as Lord Balto passed him, Levi felt their shoulders collide. He almost growled out a remark, his lips twitching to say something but Erwin sent him a glare that only dared him to say a word. 

Once the room had emptied, Levi sat back down in his own chair and crossed his legs, sighing again. “Have I been out past my curfew, dad?” 

“What's Eren's condition like?” There were times when Erwin was up for a bit of light-hearted chatter, but there were other times when he got straight to the point. 

“He's fine.” Levi spoke back simply. “He's immune. He's not going to suddenly turn Rogue.” He was almost offended by the question. 

“I've been informed that he exhibited worrying behaviour last night.” Erwin spoke simply, returning to filing paper work as if they were having a meaningless conversation. 

Levi furrowed his eyebrows, wondering who it was that snitched. “He didn't.” He replied simply. 

Erwin raised an eyebrow and paused in his job to look up at Levi. “That's it?” He asked. “That's your only defence? A simple denial?” 

“Why would I require defence when nothing was done wrong?” Levi questioned in return. 

Erwin smiled lightly. “You're clever, Levi.” He commented, looking away to his paper work. “You've always been clever. That's why I've always liked you.” 

Levi tensed slightly. “And besides your pathetic attempt at a flirtation, is there something you actually want to discuss with me?” 

“You can say what you want, but I know perfectly well what happened.” Erwin started again. “Eren almost attacked you.” Erwin looked up for a moment, his eyes flashing a brighter blue than they usually were. “Would you like to deny that?” 

So Erwin knew perfectly well what happened. He was just playing his usual game. Levi suddenly felt defeated; he always did, to some extent, when it came to Erwin. “No, sir.” 

“As I thought.” Erwin commented. “You're free to go.” He added but as Levi stood up, Erwin paused and looked up at him again. “Just remember Levi: there is only one way to get rid of a rabid dog.” 

As soon as he stepped out of the room, Erd appeared by his side. “What's Petra's situation?” Levi asked blankly, unsure if he wanted to know the real answer. 

Erd frowned slightly, quickening his step slightly to match Levi's. “Stable, but she hasn't attended any training or been out of her room for longer than a minute as of yet.” 

Levi nodded, his lips pursed. “Keep me updated.” He spoke to which Erd nodded firmly. “That's all.” He waved him off with a gesture as Levi approached his own quarters. The smell of his mate was heavy in the air and as Levi breathed it in, his body both relaxed into the loving embrace of Eren's scent and tensed at the minimal trace of Rogue smell mixed in. 

He opened the door slowly, not making a noise as he realised Eren's breathing was even and slow. He looked into the room to find it empty except for Eren on the bed, unchained and sleeping. Sweat had broken out on his forehead and his eyes had clenched tightly. Levi stepped into the room and sighed, walking into the bathroom to grab a small towel before he made his way to the bed. 

He knelt by the bed and wiped at Eren's forehead, watching silently as his mate struggled in his sleep. Eren was in pain, but waking him up would only cause him more, so Levi remained silent. 

A few minutes later, he stepped away from the bed and filled a glass with water before putting it on the bedside table. He then sat himself at his desk and began working on the paper work that was long overdue. 

It had been minutes before there was a silent knock on the door and Hanji's head poked in. Levi recognised the sorry look in her eyes. “Another one?” He huffed as he stood up from the desk. 

She nodded. “Sorry.” She murmured with a helpless shrug. “They pulled in living relatives of our intruders.” She announced. “Meeting starts in five.” 

Levi sighed and followed her out the door, sending a small, worried glance towards Eren's sleeping form right before he closed the door. 

~~*~~*~~

When he woke up again, he was drenched in his own sweat and he only had a brief moment to worry about Levi's reaction to the sweat-drenched sheets before he felt his stomach clench and his throat start to burn as a warning. 

He jumped off the bed, each step painful as his bones grinded, and ran towards the bathroom. Once there, he knelt by the toilet and instantly emptied the contents of his stomach right into the toilet bowl. He leaned his forehead on his forearm once he was done, breathing heavily and waiting for another wave to come, as he knew it would. 

Twenty minutes later he had rinsed his mouth and returned to the bed. He picked up the glass of water left by the bedside and drank it quickly before he felt his muscles spasm again, sending a painful shock down his body. He curled up on the bed and pondered on the dream he had. 

He hoped it was a simple hallucination that his sick mind was playing on him, but as he thought harder, things began to get clearer with each minute. All the previously unexplained things have began to come to light. 

_He had become ill, more than he had ever been ill before. His mother continued worrying over every ragged breath that left his mouth while Mikasa was ordered to stay away, in case she caught it too. His father had injected him with something, promising it would help, but so far, it was doing nothing. If anything, Eren felt worse than he should have._

_“Mom?” He murmured into the darkness. A light was lit beside him as his mother's face appeared in the darkness, smiling softly while she pushed back the wet hair from his forehead. “Mom, it hurts.” He mumbled, curling up and hearing her sigh sadly._

_“It will get better.” She promised. Her hand continued running through his hair, bringing in at least a bit of comfort._

_The light was on in the living room and he heard voices, one that he distinctly recognised as his father's and the others familiar, but unknown._

_“And it works?” A sceptic voice asked from the other side of the door._

_“I have tried it out before, yes.” Grisha replied to the question. “It could have a different effect on different people, but from what I've seen, it works each time.”_

_“And the side effects?”_

_“There are fever-like side effects once the body goes through transition. However, any long term side effect, I did not find. Keep it mind I have not had much ground to do research on as of yet.”_

_“So, if my boy was to get infected...” The woman's voice began again._

_“His body would be able to fight it off.” Grisha finished the sentence for her. “But the time is ticking, Rena. Doses have to administered from a young age, or his body will not work how it is supposed to.”_

_“Have you had any other willing patients?”_

_“Many parents have spoken to me about it once they heard of the rumour.” Grisha stated. “Some have just reasons for desiring it, some don't; but that's none of my business. I'm just trying to help them keep their kids safe.”_

_“And...your boy? Eren? … Is he safe?” Rena's voice asked hesitantly._

_“Absolutely.” Grisha replied with confidence. “He is going through it as we speak. Eren was the first, but hopefully, he was the first of many.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual, italics are dreams or flashbacks.  
> Happy Halloween! What did you guys do? Did you go trick or treating? :P I wish, but I didn't have a costume. I'm throwing a party tomorrow though and I'm dressing up as Jigsaw from the Saw movies. The theme is 'murderers and murdered' so... That should be fun. It's actually my birthday party, but my actual birthday is on Monday :/  
> So, here is a little clue as to why Eren is the way he is. Guess it kind of explains Reiner, Bertl and Annie. Not much happens, it's really just a filler chapter, this one. But I hope you still liked it!


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I can't help being good looking.” Levi shrugged, bringing the razor down to Eren's skin, his eyes narrowing in concentration. “You can't blame all your problems on me, Eren.” He said it with a firm face but there was a teasing glimmer in his eyes that Eren easily recognised.

“Hey, you know what the new style is?” Hanji spoke up around her apple, chewing as she spoke. Levi cringed at the complete lack of manners and then sighed, realising she expected an answer. 

“What is it now?” He huffed. 

“Piercings.” She replied with a shrug, biting into her apple again. “Frankly, I don't understand the whole point. And what happens to lycans with ear piercings? Does the piercing stay on when they shift?” She shook her head slightly, her lips pursing. “I'm thinking about getting a nose piercing, though.” 

“Since when the hell do you follow new styles?” Levi grumbled, turning the corner and walking down yet another hallway. 

“I don't.” Hanji clarified. “But it looks really cool.” She commented with a shrug. Then, her eyes narrowed slightly and she reached towards him. She grabbed his ear and he immediately slapped at her hand, shooting her a glare right afterwards. “I think you'd look pretty cool with an ear piercing.” She grinned teasingly. “It would add to that brooding 'I hate everyone' look you have going.” 

“It's not a look.” Levi simply snapped. “I do hate everyone.” He rolled his eyes, turning into yet another hallway. “The day I pierce anything is the day you have my permission to stab me and dissect me.” He said. 

“I would have a much nicer time dissecting you if you did get a piercing.” She commented with ease. “I hear you can get piercings on your dick, too – if you're interested.” She grinned once he shot her a glare and shoved at her shoulder, leaving her to laugh silently before they made it to their destination. 

“Rise and shine, wolfie!” Hanji burst through the door first and marched over to the bed straight away. Eren groaned, hiding his head under the pillow and pulling the covers higher up his body. 

Eren looked up for just a moment, his eyes flitting over Hanji and straight to Levi before he groaned and buried his head in the pillow again. “It's the middle of the night, Hanji.” His voice came out muffled. 

“Well, you know what they say,” She grinned, picking up the pillow and placing her hand to his forehead. When she took it off, she smiled, “When the sun is away, the vampires will play.” She grabbed his wrist, her fingers aligning with his veins and she listened closely. “The worst of it is over.” She told him Levi, turning towards him with a smile. 

“Good.” Levi murmured, pushing away from the wall and walking over to the bed. “Now get out.” 

Hanji raised an eyebrow but grinned nonetheless, slowly backing out of the room. “Just remember to keep quiet; almost everybody is awake at this time.” 

She saw his hand twitch towards the knife on the table and she quickly turned on her heel, disappearing out the door with a manic cackle and luckily avoiding Levi's skilled throw that was bound to come. He relaxed, his shoulders sagging slightly as Eren looked up at him with one eye open and one closed. 

“Why the rude awakening?” He murmured. He then yawned, his nose scrunching cutely and his eyes shutting as he stretched. “And how come you're not in bed?” He drawled, his hand coming up to grab Levi's and pulling him down quickly. 

Levi let out a squeak he would deny his whole life and fell right on top of him, groaning as Eren grinned and wrapped his arms around him tightly. “You're so childish.” Levi commented into Eren's neck. 

“And you're actually really warm.” Eren replied in a lazy drawl, hugging Levi tighter. “I thought you'd be colder, with, you know, all that ice surrounding your heart.” He shrugged slightly and Levi kicked him in the shin. 

Eren grinned and leaned down, attaching their lips in a slow kiss. Levi hesitated for a moment, pondering on whether he should kiss back – Eren's morning breath was a huge factor – before he gave in. He kissed back for a moment, bringing his hands to either side of Eren's head to align their mouth properly. After a minute, he scowled and pulled back. 

He then brought his hand up and ran his fingers over Eren's jaw. “You've gotta be fucking kidding me.” He murmured. “You shave?” 

Eren raised an eyebrow. “Don't you?” 

Levi rolled his eyes and didn't answer. He was one of the people who could never summon a beard to grow – not that he wanted one, anyway – but it would have been nice to have the option. Either way, he had always been rather hairless when it came to that. 

“Shut up.” He murmured in reply, sitting up. He looked down at the position he had Eren in, straddling the lycan, their hips aligned. Experimentally, he rolled his hips and watched as Eren's hands snaked up his legs to rest on his thighs, his lips parting slightly. Levi smirked in return. 

He rolled his hips again, this time continuing with a steady pace. He thrust his hips slowly, his ass dragging right over Eren's crotch where he already detected a difference. Eren's hands had settled on his hips and if Levi slowed down, urged him to continue. 

He smirked again, stopped and was about to get up when Eren's hands pulled him back down. “Don't.” Eren breathed quickly. 

Levi gave an experimental quick, hard thrust which had Eren hissing, his hands tightening over Levi's hip bones. Levi then returned to the previous rhythm, rolling his hips with experience he didn't lack, thrusts shorter and harder. He then leaned forward, stretching up slightly to place his own lips at Eren's ear. “You like it?” He whispered, his voice an erotic murmur. 

Eren's answer came in the form of a quiet moan, his hand grabbing the back of Levi's head to crash their lips together. His tongue delved between Levi's lips, desperate to consume every flavour, every feel of that sinful, sarcastic mouth. Levi smirked in victory at the response. 

Levi pulled away from his lips for a moment, his teeth nibbling at the edge of Eren's ear, hips still moving. “I don't know what fantasy you're living in,” Levi teased in a whisper. “But when we do fuck, I will definitely not be the one riding a dick.” 

He then stood up, his movements too quick for Eren to react. Once he was a foot away from the bed, Eren groaned and covered his face with his hands, a deep crimson red quickly rushing up his neck to colour his cheeks with embarrassment. Levi watched him for a moment, his own throat giving out a burn at the blood suddenly rushing up to Eren's face. 

Instead, he quickly turned and poured himself a drink, gulping down the red liquid and soothing the burn in his throat. “Get up.” He spoke instead. “You need to shower and shave.” He put down the empty glass and headed for the bathroom. 

“Wait,” Eren quickly spoke up. “You're showering too?” 

“Is that a problem?” Levi raised an eyebrow. Eren's eyes widened and he jumped out of the bed, almost falling over as his feet got caught in the covers. Levi rolled his eyes. “Horny brat.” He mumbled. He walked into the bathroom and grabbed the shaving cream before beckoning Eren to come closer. 

Eren crowded him against the sink, his arms surrounding Levi's body. “You're getting very pushy.” Levi commented, handing Eren a tooth brush. Eren rolled his eyes but stepped aside anyway, grabbing the toothpaste. 

“Is that bad?” He replied around the tooth brush. 

“It depends.” Levi said with a shrug. He leaned on the wall next to the sink and looked around the bathroom with a sigh. It has been a while since he cleaned it thoroughly; he mentally put that on his to-do list. 

“I can't believe you did that.” Eren murmured to himself, foam dripping from his mouth before he spat it out. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “It's fun to tease you.” He replied simply. 

Eren finished washing his teeth and looked up at Levi. “Is it?” He questioned, straightening and stepping closer. “You're just teasing yourself.” He pressed their hips together and Levi's lips parted, Eren's straining erection pushing at his own semi-hard on. 

Levi pursed his lips and shoved him away. “Stop it.” He spoke firmly. “Not the time to satisfy your libido.” He spoke, grabbing the shaving cream again, his other hand grabbing a razor. “Sit down.” He shoved at Eren to sit down on the edge of the bath. 

Eren raised an eyebrow but did so anyway. Levi then spread some of the shaving cream over Eren's skin, with Eren carefully watching each of his movements. “I don't suppose I can jerk off to this?” 

“You're disgusting.” Levi commented simply, putting down the cream and grabbing the razor. 

“It's your fault!” Eren exclaimed, though a grin was pulling at his lips. 

“I can't help being good looking.” Levi shrugged, bringing the razor down to Eren's skin, his eyes narrowing in concentration. “You can't blame all your problems on me, Eren.” He said it with a firm face but there was a teasing glimmer in his eyes that Eren easily recognised. 

Eren couldn't help but smile before Levi flicked him in the cheek, urging him to stay still as he continued shaving him. Levi remained concentrated, but once in a while his eyes would flicker up to meet Eren's, that teal-green warming him up instantly. 

Eren didn't deserve this. Out of the millions upon millions of people within the walls, why did Eren have to be the one to carry the burden of being immune and hunted? Why was it Eren that had to deal with this crap? Eren didn't deserve any of this, and Levi promised himself then and there that he would keep his mate from harm's way, no matter what. 

“Hanji asked me a lot about my dad.” Eren spoke up. The atmosphere suddenly changed. 

Levi nodded. “We paid a visit to his house up in Sina a few hours ago.” Levi told him. “We thought he might know why the hell you're immune. It could possibly help four-eyes with research and finding a cure.” 

“And?” Eren inquired. 

“We found the house trashed.” Levi frowned. 

Eren furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes becoming almost accusing. “Why the hell didn't you tell me sooner?” He snapped immediately, moving forward and then flinching as he felt the sharp razor cut into his skin. 

Levi hissed, instantly grabbing a towel and wiping at the cut. “It just happened three hours ago.” He replied in his defence. “Hanji is still analysing what happened. We predict a break in, but there's no signs of your father anywhere.” 

Eren's eyes widened. “Where is he?” He had never been close to his father, that was true. But it was one thing to not speak with his father and another to find out he was missing. 

“Do I look like I know?” Levi snapped impatiently. “We released the details to the press. Hopefully, it will help.” He saw Eren's expression and frowned. “You're worried.” It wasn't a question, it was a statement. 

“Not for the reasons you think I am.” Eren admitted. “It's so like him: when things get bad, he disappears.” Levi wiped off the excess shaving cream and grabbed Eren's chin between two of his fingers, turning his head slightly one way and then the other before nodding to himself. “And I'm only worried because I know that he's involved in all of this.” 

Levi seemed to pause and ponder on the thought. “What makes you say that?” He questioned. Eren hesitated. Levi rolled his eyes in return. “And you're pissed at me for keeping secrets.” He murmured, turning away to put the towel in the washing bin. 

“I remembered something.” Eren announced and Levi turned around, raising an eyebrow. “When I was ill...” Eren started hesitantly. “I didn't understand why I had become so ill, but now I realised that the symptoms back then were exactly the same as the symptoms from the past two days.” 

Levi furrowed his eyebrows. “Hold on a second.” He interrupted. “You've been infected before?” 

Eren nodded. And it worked; because if he hadn't been immune, then he would have turned into a Rogue. And then, Levi wouldn't have a mate. If you were infected and turned Rogue before your Etch kicked in, then the bond was broken and would never be replaced. You simply wouldn't have a mate, and neither would the other person. Perhaps this was why some people didn't have mates. Levi had always thought he was one of them. 

But, of course, they hadn't breached another topic. Reiner and Bertholdt were clearly mates before Reiner became infected, so they remained mates, even if Reiner had turned Rogue. But what about the female vampire? She was immune, but there was no mate in sight. Did the Etch work if you were infected but immune? 

“Apparently.” Eren shook his head slightly, hard to come to terms with the facts. “And my father knew about it.” He sneered. “That sick fuck. He knew all about it.” Eren looked down at his own hands. “He made me what I am.” 

“That's impossible, Eren.” Levi commented quietly. “I understand your father is a doctor, but even a doctor doesn't have that type of power.” 

“But he somehow did it.” Eren pressed. “I remember him speaking with somebody. Now that I think about it, they were probably Reiner's parents.” Levi listened intently. “And...he – he offered to share this with them.” Eren stuttered slightly, not believing the words himself. “I was the first of many.” He stated blankly and then sneered, turning away and quickly wiping the tears gathering at the brims of his eyes. “I wasn't his damn kid,” Eren chuckled coldly. “I was his fucking experiment.” 

“Eren.” Levi's voice was firm and Eren looked up at his quickly before he realised what he was doing. He had clenched his fists, and in his anger his claws had began to extend. There were now bleeding scratches upon his hands, but he paid them no attention. He simply unclenched his fists. 

“I can't do this, Levi.” Eren whispered, still looking to the ground. “I can't sit around here doing nothing. I'm a worthless excuse for a soldier. I have to do something.” He looked up then, his eyes large and pleading. “I can't be useless.” 

Levi nodded, understanding. “I'm told Hanji is working with Armin in her lab.” The corner of his lips lifted in a pathetic excuse of a smile. “She took a real liking to your little blond friend. Maybe you can try to help them?” 

Eren stood up and nodded lightly. “What are you going to be doing?” 

Levi looked up at the clock. “I have a routine training session with a squad in ten minutes and a meeting with Erwin afterwards.” He admitted. “Then I just have a shit ton of paper work to catch up on.” Noticing that Eren had eased slightly, Levi smiled lightly. “But maybe I can get you to be a distraction.” He murmured, his hand hesitantly placed at Eren's waist, playing with the material of his shirt. 

“Can't I be a distraction earlier?” Eren whispered in reply. “Maybe you could miss the meeting?” His lips had attached to the side of Levi's jaw and began placing soft kisses all over the skin there. 

Levi smirked, “Careful, kid. I might think you're jealous.” 

Eren leaned back, an uncomfortable expression of 'guilty' written on his face. “I don't like the way he looks at you.” He murmured then. “It's the same way I look at you.” He added, much quieter. 

“Well, then, it's a good thing I prefer my partners messy-haired and suicidal.” Levi joked to which Eren rolled his eyes, but a small smile pulled at his lips nonetheless. 

“Do you think Hanji would have a problem with me tagging along with her and Armin?” 

Levi sneered, “Are you kidding?” He spoke, walking away and looking in the mirror before brushing through his hair with a brush he had picked up along the way. “She's enamoured by your little blond friend but she's completely obsessed with you.” He shrugged slightly. “Then again, I can't promise you won't be poked at as an experiment yourself...”

“I'll do it.” Eren spoke up. “It's better than sitting around doing nothing.” 

Levi smirked, “That's it.” He murmured, a sarcastic tone to his voice. “That's the right attitude towards life.” 

~~*~~*~~

“Ready?” Hanji put down her own goggles and then motioned for Eren and Armin to do the same. She dropped a minimal, square piece of metal into the tube and then stepped away, watching as it fizzed up completely and poured over the edge of the tube before continuing to spill over the table and to the floor. The tube then began to crack slowly until the glass shattered completely, leaving the rest of the liquid to run. 

Armin took off his goggles first, watching in a daze as Hanji grinned proudly. “And that's a direct contact of silver with Rogue blood?” He asked slowly, still amazed. 

“That's right.” Hanji agreed. “I suppose it hurts when our blades pierce the skin, but they contact with silver is not long enough to produce a reaction such as this.” Armin was about to speak up when Hanji interrupted. “And bullets don't work. They're too insignificant in size. The proportion of blood to silver is very inconvenient then. Cannons on the other hand...” She shook her head slightly. “But cannons are too slow.” 

“Have you tried all forms of silver?” Armin asked excitedly. “I'll be free to volunteer to test on my blood! We could try to -” 

“Calm down, Armin.” Eren muttered, stepping over the spilled liquid and looking at all the different solutions inside different vials around the room. “Remember the last time you got so excited? You shifted.” 

“Oh, wouldn't want that!” Hanji quickly shook her head before pointing out a machine in the corner of the room. “There are heat cameras all around. They sense a shift. A big ass alarm goes off.” She grinned before shaking her head. “Wouldn't want that.” 

“It's not the same, Eren.” Armin huffed but there was fondness in his eyes as he rolled them. He turned to Hanji, seeking an answer. 

“Yes.” Hanji told him. “In it's liquid form, silver seems to work much better when mixing with blood. But that's an issue; we can't exactly carry a bottle with liquid silver around. For one, it's heavy and inconvenient. Two, when it came to expeditions, the silver would keep the Rogues away instead of drawing them in when our squads need to take them down.” 

“Can I ask you a question?” Eren spoke up suddenly, leaning on a counter that seemed to be free of any stains. 

“I'd be offended if you didn't.” Hanji replied. 

“How does the whole expedition thing work?” Eren asked curiously. “We've never heard details; they're top secret, apparently.” 

“We have a formation. The squads that use 3DMG, Squad Levi included, take off one by one after a signal is shot out. They then lead Rogues into a nearby woodland area where they use the trees to their advantage. On longer expeditions, the squads join back in once they get rid of the Rogues in vicinity and the process begins again. But on shorter expeditions they remain where they are and wait for the formation to come back around.” 

“What about the expeditions that remain overnight? I mean, not all of you can be out in sunlight.” 

“Erwin is very specific when it comes to finding buildings. There are many buildings that humanity has abandoned over time and they become our safety spots for the night. We barricade ourselves in, split into squads and clear out the building. Then, we wait out the sunlight and begin again.” 

“It all sounds so risky.” Armin murmured with furrowed eyebrows. 

“It seems that having lycans in the expedition would bring a positive result.” Eren pointed out with a shrug before he got a glare from Armin. “I'm just saying.” He muttered in addition. 

“I agree.” Hanji replied to which his eyes widened. “I wish all of this wasn't fucked up, Eren, I do.” She shrugged slightly, picking up a slide and sliding it under a microscope. “But it is.” She spoke firmly. “And there's not much we can do in return.” 

A knock sounded on the door and Mike's head poked in, his eyes immediately settling on Hanji. “Can I speak with you?” He muttered. Hanji nodded and shot Armin and Eren a look that said 'don't touch anything' before almost skipping out to follow Mike. 

“What do you think that's about?” Eren spoke up immediately, trying to listen in on the conversation going on outside the door. 

“Stop being nosy, Eren.” Armin scolded with a frown. “But if I were to guess, I'd guess that it was about the blood shortage.” 

Eren's eyes widened. “It's really happening?” 

Armin nodded. “There's less people volunteering now. Some of them have the idea that vampires can't protect them, since we lost Wall Maria. Some hardly have enough nutrition to keep themselves alive, let alone donate blood. There's still blood being donated but not as much as there used to be. There's a shortage and vampires don't like it.” Armin sighed. “They're used to being in the spotlight.” Armin frowned. “Not literally of course, any type of light isn't too good for t -” 

“Is it possible that they will refuse to guard the walls?” Eren asked quickly. 

Armin shrugged. “Anything is possible.” He replied. “I heard that Commander Smith will be on the look-out for possible opposition. Anybody found to be protesting against it will be kicked out of the Survey Corps.” 

“That's correct.” The door closed behind Hanji as she came in. “Although, I do believe Erwin's secret weapon is Levi's happy demeanour.” She grinned. “If Levi can't scare them into behaving, nobody can.” 

“Oh yeah, cause he looks so frightening.” Eren rolled his eyes. “He's 5”3 and pale as fuck.” He mocked. 

Hanji grinned in return. “And yet you'd still bang him.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. 

Eren felt the blush creep up his cheeks. “N-not what we were talking about!” He stuttered quickly. 

“Agreed.” Armin chimed in, clearly looking uncomfortable. “Can we return to this?” He pointed back at the vials. Hanji nodded, putting her goggles in place again before she joined Armin by the table. 

Eren sighed and looked around the room, slowly beginning to blank out each word they said. All of this wasn't for him. He wasn't interested in the biology of Rogues; he just wanted to kill them. Why the hell would he need to know the effects of light change on their eyes?

It was then when he can't focusing on Hanji's voice, that a wave of something washed over him. He shivered slightly, looking around the room slowly. There was a crawling feeling under his skin and he didn't like it. His eyes stopped on a row of vials arranged to the other side of the room and he found himself walking towards them. 

It was like a voice inside of him: calling him, teasing him, beckoning him closer. He followed it and stopped, his eyes focused entirely on the blood samples beneath his hand. 

“Eren?” 

He snapped out of it, looking up at Hanji who stared back at him with a frown. “What are these?” He asked, pointing at the vials of blood. 

“Rogue blood.” Hanji replied simply and realising he was okay, she turned back to work on her own assignment, murmuring something to Armin before looking down into a microscope. 

Eren turned to look back at the vials of blood, his stomach twisting and turning with anticipation. The voice was still there, like a teasing echo in his mind, beckoning his hand to come forward and grab one. The smell had suddenly become attractive and his throat had began to burn with the desire, a desire he did not understand. 

His fingers were touching one of the vials, then and he froze as he picked it up. The red liquid looked oh so attractive, like a little pool of life at his fingertips. It invited him to come closer, take a better look, get a better sense of smell. 

And then he understood what was happening, his eyes widening in panic. He wanted the blood; he wanted the blood swirling down his throat – the thought seemed euphoric at this point. It was a craving.

The vial dropped from his fingers and shattered on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was an absolute wreck. Like, I love it (it's actually one of my faves) but the mood kept switching and I tried at comedy and then I tried at some smut and some fluff so yeah. I had this image in my head of Levi helping Eren shave while completely annoyed by the fact he can't grow any facial hair himself, so that had to be added in. By my count, this story is looking at around 30 chapters. I think.   
> I've had a small existential crisis once again. I still don't know what I'm doing with my life and my family wants me to go into law but I want to go into publishing or journalism and it's all really annoying. Plus, school has me completely stressed out since the university entrance is going to be ending around Christmas time and I still haven't sent off any of my details and crap. Ugh. So, yeah, sorry for the lateness of this chapter.   
> In other matters, I've begun reading a lot of fics again and it's ruining my life. No biggie.   
> Thank you for the continuous support on this story! I absolutely love each and every one of you! :D Also, with Halloween gone, I would like to bring your attention to this [Eren cosplay](http://catxtopia.tumblr.com/post/101465886953/etch-rouge-werewolf-eren-happy-halloween#noted). It would mean a lot to me if you guys liked it and all since a lot of effort was put into it and I'm really grateful to the person who did it.   
> Thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "That's how the world works: shit happens, but you push it away and pretend you're over it and it doesn't hurt. Hell, it hurts and it hurts a fuck load but you have to be brave and put a smile on your face anyway.”

“Tell me you're fucking joking, Erwin.” Levi's voice held not a note of humour, his permanent frown becoming deeper as the meeting came to an end and Erwin declared the news. 

“I'm not in a humorous mood today, Levi.” Erwin replied simply and there was a furrow between his eyebrows that told Levi he really was not. Levi stood up – a move that was, perhaps, a bit too dramatic – and began pacing around the room. 

“You're fucking joking.” He repeated in a sneer. “We have so much shit going for us right now. We lost more than a third of our population, we lost a ton of fucking land, there's a blood shortage, we have strikes and in addition, I constantly have to worry about Eren and then you go and tell me that you think the Survey Corps should go on an expedition?” 

“That's correct.” 

“That's bullshit.” Levi retorted.

“Whether you think it is right is irrelevant right now, Levi.” Erwin spoke calmly. “People don't believe that we can protect them, anymore. If we don't have the public's support, we will cease to exist.” 

“That's bullshit, also.” Levi snapped in a hurry. “The government would never disband the Survey Corps. We're the only fucking hope they have.” 

“And that is, perhaps, correct.” Erwin agreed. “But what do you suppose we should do when the people rise up? Even the government won't be able to stop them.” 

“Then threaten them!” Levi snapped impatiently, his fists clenching hard. “Fear has always worked. As long as they're running around, shitting their pants thinking that the Rogues will get them, we're their hope.” He paused for a moment, thinking over his words. His eyes widened slightly once he realised; he had become the very same person that he hated his whole life. 

“That's surprising coming from you.” Erwin commented in addition to which Levi turned away and cast his gaze to the ground. “But unfortunately, I'm afraid that sometimes, survival wins over fear.” Carefully scanning over Levi, Erwin narrowed his eyes. “This whole Eren thing has you really stressed out.” 

“Did you expect otherwise?” Levi asked simply. 

Erwin let the corner of his lips pull up. “Of course not. You're a very passionate person; you throw yourself head first into everything.” He replied. “But I'm afraid there's more news concerning that.” Levi looked up, his attention now fully on Erwin. 

“There's no sign of his father anywhere. We've searched any leads that we had. The case has now been given over to The Garrison for further inspection as a missing persons case.” 

“You've handed it over?” Levi asked quickly. 

Erwin nodded once. “I did, however,” He started once he saw the furious glare Levi sent his way. “ - manage to acquire the very same paperwork that The Garrison got a hold of.” He paused, frowning for a moment. “How sure are you that Grisha Yeager is involved in this?” 

“There's not a doubt in my mind.” Levi replied hotly. 

Erwin nodded. “And how far are you willing to go to find out the truth?” 

Levi paused on the question. Finding out the truth meant that they could solve the mystery behind Eren's immunity and perhaps spread the said immunity to everybody else: they could be safe from the infection. But finding out also meant putting together pieces of Eren's past, and Levi was definitely willing to do that. “I'd die to find out.” 

Erwin hummed low. “Convenient.” He slid a piece of paper over the desk. “We found nothing important in his apartment, but after looking into it, we have found that he owns another property.” Levi's eyes widened. Surely, Grisha wouldn't have two buildings just for the heck of it. “In Shiganshina.” 

Levi froze at the words. “Outside.” Was the only word to leave his mouth. 

Erwin changed the subject then. “If you're having an issue with an expedition, I don't know whether I can trust your judgement through giving you the location of said property.”

“There must be something there.” Levi quickly spluttered. He paused for a moment, his mind working through the details. “If I left in the morning, I could get there and back by sundown and hopefully - “ 

“No.” 

“Erwin!” 

“That's an order.” Erwin replied firmly. “You're not going alone.” He looked away and began shuffling the papers on his desk into a neat pile. 

“This is bullshit!” Levi exclaimed, teeth gritting in anger. “I'm the only one capable of getting there and back in the - “ 

“You've become a bit arrogant.” Erwin commented, raising an eyebrow. “Many of our veterans are capable of getting there and back. But being capable and actually doing it are two different things.” Levi's shoulders slouched in defeat. “That's another reason why I want the expedition to proceed. I want to survey how bad the destruction outside the walls really is.” 

“I'm not arrogant.” Levi spoke after a short pause. “Unlike anybody else you would send, I have a clear target in my mind which is driving me forward.” 

Erwin regarded him for a moment. “Eren?” Levi nodded without hesitation. “Then perhaps consider how your mate would feel if you died out there. And I can assure you, he wouldn't be the only one grieving.” 

Levi imagined it for a moment. He imagined Eren standing atop that wall, staring out into a distance; staring at the destruction, at the death, at the place where Levi had gone and disappeared in. He imagined the tears in Eren's eyes, he imagined the wrecked, pitiful yell Eren would give before he fell to his knees. 

“So we go through with the expedition,” Levi started instead, after clearing his throat. “What if the danger is worse than you predicted?” 

Erwin shrugged once. “Then there is not much we can do.” He replied simply. 

“And the whole thing has been a waste.” Levi added with a scoff. “When do you want to leave?” He asked with a sigh of defeat.

“The ideal time would be - “ A knock sounded on the door and they both turned towards the sound. 

“Erwin?” Hanji's head poked into the room and gave Erwin a smile before she focused on Levi. “Sorry for the interruption but I got something to tell Levi.” Levi raised an eyebrow at her while Erwin nodded for Hanji to go ahead. “Eren's in the medical ward.” Levi's eyes widened and Hanji quickly hurried her next words. “It's nothing serious! I promise!” 

“What the fuck did you do now, Hanji?” Levi snarled, taking a step forward and Hanji frowned, hiding further behind the door and inspecting the area slowly. Once she realised there were no knives in the close vicinity, she relaxed. 

“I didn't do anything.” She snapped simply. She crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips. “Frankly, I'm offended you would think so.” 

“You experiment on things for a living!” Levi exclaimed in exasperation. “The only few times I've been in your lab have always ended in disaster. May I remind you I managed to break my arm in there? Not once, but twice!” He exclaimed and then huffed, taking a deep breath in. “What happened?” 

“Shattered glass. Nothing serious.” He frowned suddenly. “But he's feeling a bit light headed, for some reason. He's moody as fuck, too.” She suddenly looked to be pondering, pursing her lips once again. “I do wonder if lycans go through a menstrual cycle...” She muttered to herself. 

“If the two of you are done?” Erwin cleared his throat. 

Levi shook his head and turned to Erwin. “We'll speak later.” He then turned and followed Hanji out the door. 

“So, was Commander Eyebrows chatting you up or what?” Hanji nudged him with her shoulder which received her a glare in return. 

“How the hell does shattered glass come into the equation?” Levi asked instead. 

Hanji shrugged. “I'm not sure.” She admitted. “One moment he was fine and then the next...” She paused before the medical ward door. “I have some tests to run. I'll see you later.” 

She turned and began walking away. “Hopefully fucking not.” Levi muttered under his breath. Hanji turned around, gave him her best fake glare and put up her middle finger before turning back around and turning right into a different hallway. 

He sighed and walked into the medical ward, cringing at the smell. As always, there were a few injured; soldiers that had been up on the walls the previous night or new recruits that were too dumb to realise that exposure to sunlight was not their biggest fan. 

“Why is it that you always manage to get yourself into the worst of situations when I'm not around?” Eren looked up from where he was sitting on a bed and shot Levi a glare. 

“You're not my babysitter.” He commented sharply. “I'm capable of taking care of myself.” 

Levi rolled his eyes and stopped right in front of Eren, fitting comfortably between Eren's open legs. “Clearly not.” He shot back, motioning at the hand wrapped in a bandage. It would heal soon, but it was a bleeding injury nonetheless. And blood was not a welcome intruder in the vampire headquarters, unless it was free to be consumed. “What the hell happened?” 

Eren's eyes widened slightly. “I'm not sure.” He spoke quickly. 

Levi's eyes narrowed. “You're a terrible liar.” He noted. He reached up and yanked at Eren's ear which had him cursing quietly. “Your ears turn red.” 

“Well, y-you're short!” Eren spluttered, leaning back so that Levi's grip on his ear was lost. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Ouch, Eren.” He mocked. “You hit me right where it hurts. I will now leave and cry in the corner.” He teased further and once Eren recognised the sarcasm, he rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. For now, Levi ignored the blatant lie so they could move on; maybe with time, Eren would tell him. 

“You guys are freaks.” Eren murmured, looking down at his bandaged hand. “One little cut and you all freak out.” 

Levi narrowed his eyes slightly. “Normally we wouldn't.” He admitted. “But there's a blood shortage and you're a blood bag, oblivious and defenceless, walking through our hallways.” He commented, perhaps too sharply. The pressure was getting to them all. 

“I'm not defenceless!” Eren argued. He looked around the room slowly, his eyes scanning to see if anybody was in close proximity. “I can take on any of you.” He murmured afterwards. 

Levi smirked, the corners of his lips pulling up mischievously. “Maybe we can try out that theory one day.” He said, to which Eren's eyes widened. “Now let's get the hell out of here. This place always gives me the creeps.” 

~~*~~*~~

“Come on! You know you want one!” Eren poked the apple at Mikasa's lips again but she kept them pursed, giving him an unimpressed look as he did it over and over again. After a few more tries, he huffed and paused. “You're no fun. We don't get caramel covered apples every day.” Seeing the furrow between Eren's eyebrows, she rolled her eyes and grabbed the apple before taking a quick bite out of it. 

“Happy?” She murmured, blushing as she realised her mouth was full. Eren chuckled and nodded back before pulling her further down the market. 

“Hey, guys!” Armin's voice yelled over the crowd. “Do you think I can pull it off?” They paused and looked over at Armin by a different stall. Armin was currently wearing a pair of glasses, a pair so big it made even his already big blue eyes look small in comparison. 

“Armin you don't need glasses.” Mikasa pointed out. 

“Yeah, but it's like a new trend. Everybody is wearing them.” 

“Even when they don't need them?” Eren questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

Armin rolled his eyes. “Yes, Eren.” He huffed. 

“Or are you just spending too much time with Hanji?” 

Armin's eyes widened. “She looks awesome, okay.” He muttered, putting back the pair. “They make her look even more intelligent.” 

“Well, sorry to say this Armin, but it doesn't work for everyone.” Eren commented and then laughed as Armin punched him in one shoulder and Mikasa shoved at his other. 

The sun was currently high up in the sky which meant that Levi was most likely in bed – Eren couldn't be sure anymore, with Levi's sporadic sleeping schedule – and Eren didn't feel like spending another day in Hanji's lab. So they thought that going out to the market and having a good time would be a good change of routine. 

“Eren, you should take a look at this.” Armin called him over to a different stall and Eren realised he has been standing in the middle of the pavement, grinning like an idiot. 

When he walked over to the stall, he saw Armin pointing to all the different clothes. “I have enough clothes, Armin.” Eren rolled his eyes. 

“Are you sure?” Armin asked teasingly, giggling lightly. “Now that you have a high-ranking boyfriend, you're the arm candy. You gotta make sure you look good.” 

“Is this the appropriate time to refer to Levi as Eren's 'sugar daddy'?” Mikasa added, her face blank but the corners of her lips pulling up and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. 

“You guys are horrible.” Eren pouted and crossed his arms as the other two snickered. “You guys suck. You need a moment to think about what you've done and when you're ready to apologize, I'll be over there.” He muttered in a scolding voice to which the other two raised eyebrows, still snickering. 

Eren rolled his eyes, a smile pulling up at his lips as he turned on his heel and began walking between more stalls. He watched everything with wide eyes, still completely amazed that he had money for once; The Garrison had paid him well for his service and he was sure the money wouldn't run out that quickly. And as a last resort, there was Levi. Eren would never dare to even ask for money, but he was completely sure his friends would seize the opportunity to make more 'sugar daddy' jokes. 

He bought a scarf and a pair of gloves since winter was coming fast. He then bought himself a new shirt – completely ignoring any of his friends' previous comments – and yeah, maybe he did buy a new pair of pants too, but that's only because he knew they make his ass look amazing. If you got it, you should flaunt it – Marco once told him, which immediately made Jean's face turn red. 

It was only after he had been walking around a further five minutes, he spotted somebody familiar in the crowd. The raven black hair reminded him of Levi at first but when the kid looked upon him and his eyes widened, Eren frowned. “Yuuki?” He had remembered Levi's neighbour, from Wall Sina, very fondly. 

“Eren!” Yuuki grinned but the corners of his mouth quivered slightly. “It's good to see you, Eren!” He commented, his light blue eyes focused on Eren but there was some hesitance in them. 

“Are you here alone?” Eren asked, crouching down to look Yuuki straight in the eyes. 

“I was with my mom.” He replied before looking around slowly. “But I think I lost her.” His lip quivered slightly. 

Eren's eyes widened and he settled his hands on Yuuki's shoulders comfortingly. “It's okay.” He quickly soothed. “We'll find her.” He quickly added, straightening up and looking around the market. He silently scolded himself for leaving Armin and Mikasa; Mikasa always had a better sense of smell than him. “Come on.” He offered his hand to Yuuki which the boy quickly grabbed, squeezing reassuringly. 

“I think it was this way.” Yuuki pulled him toward a direction and Eren followed, laughing softly at how eager the boy was to get to his mom. It was also scary, thinking that a kid of eleven would be able to join the army training next year and that in the mere five years, he would be a trained assassin.

“How are you doing, anyway?” Eren spoke up. “Working on your throwing arm?” He teased. 

Yuuki looked up at him for a moment. “I have been.” He admitted. “But it's not working out too well.” He added with a frown. “Will you promise to practice with me sometime?” He bit his lip. “Even after we find my mom?” 

Eren frowned for a moment. “Of course.” He added. “As soon as I'm free, I'll be there. I promise.” 

Yuuki smiled lightly but his lip quivered again. “Thanks, Eren.” He mumbled. 

They turned a corner into a side street and Eren furrowed his eyebrows. “Are you sure she went this way?” He muttered, eyes narrowing at the setting. 

“I'm sure.” 

They turned another corner into an even darker alley and Eren froze. Yuuki's hand fell away from his and he took a step forward, a step away from Eren and measured the blonde vampire across the alley with a defiant gaze. 

“Here.” Yuuki mumbled, looking down sadly. 

Eren tensed, teeth gritting and fists clenching as he was met with the sight of Annie. He then understood why they were in a dark alley, away from the sunlight and prying eyes. “You!” He snarled, teeth lengthening together with his muscles rippling, already waiting to shift and get rid of the danger. 

There was momentary disappointment and dread as he understood Yuuki had led him straight towards the danger but it all disappeared as he spotted the woman Annie held in a headlock, the vampire's sharp claws dancing carefully around the woman's throat. “Well done, kid.” Annie commented, her red eyes set on Eren now. 

“You promised to let her go!” Yuuki exclaimed, fists clenching but shaking as he stared down Annie. Realisation struck together with dread as Eren realised that the woman Annie was holding was, in fact, Yuuki's mother. “You said you would let her go if I brought him!” Yuuki's voice held a note of desperation now. 

“Let her go, Annie.” Eren stepped forward with a snarl. “She's not a part of this.” 

“I see you know my name.” Annie raised an eyebrow. “I guess I underestimated all of you.” 

“Perhaps you did.” His claws had begun to lengthen now but he inspected the narrow alley. There wouldn't be much space for a fight here and he silently wondered if a fight was Annie's goal in this. “Why are you here?” 

Annie's eyes raked over his healed shoulder. “I see my little scratch is all healed up.” 

“You infected me.” Eren shot back in a reply. “Why?” 

Annie cocked her head to the side slightly. She didn't say anything for a moment as she inspected the neck of the lycan woman in front of her, trembling and whimpering in her hold. “Do you feel any different, Eren?” 

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” He snapped in reply. 

“Your father was a fool.” Annie commented simply. “To think that such a gift, a gift you possess, would come without any consequences.” 

“How the hell do you know my father?!” 

“Well, I did.” Annie shrugged slightly. “Sadly, he's not around anymore.” Eren's eyes widened at the confession. “Tell me, Eren,” She started, her eyes focusing on the neck of the woman before her again. “Have you been having unusual cravings?” She smirked. 

“What do you know about it?” He ignored Yuuki's cries for a moment and focused on what Annie was saying. 

“I know all about it.” She admitted. “We all have them. Well, all of us that are immune. And those cravings don't start at first... They, they have to be brought forward.” Eren frowned at her words. “You see, the more times you get infected, the more your body gets used to the presence of Rogue blood in your system. Each time is easier to fight off because your body accepts it. But, that also means that it needs more and more over time.” 

“You bitch.” Eren snapped. “The last time you infected me was because you wanted to make sure I would have those cravings.” He began taking small steps forward. “Why?” Maybe he could stall. Mikasa was bound to find him at some point. 

“You'll be one of us, Eren.” She stated as if it was obvious. “You can fight with us against the injustice.” 

“What injustice?” 

“All of it! Inside the walls!” Annie snarled, pulling at the woman in her arms which made the woman cry out and Yuuki whimper. “They threw us out like we were garbage! Nobody gave a fuck whether we would live or die!” She snarled, her teeth sharpening. “But we can change it all.” 

Eren shook his head. “You're crazy.” He commented. 

Annie laughed then. It was a cold, heartless laugh but it gave Eren chills. “No, Eren, I'm the sane one.” She commented simply. “If you think you can resist the craving for Rogue blood, then you're the crazy one. The craving never stops. It gets worse, and the more you resist, the less control you will have over your own actions.” She smirked and her red eyes glimmered in the shadowed alley. “Perhaps you would even go as far as hurting your own mate.” 

“Eren!” Eren turned to see Mikasa and Armin round the corner at the same time Annie did. She snarled, her teeth lengthening. Eren took the exact moment to finally let all the pressure release as he turned towards Annie and let the shift take over, quickly finding himself running towards Annie on four paws. He heard Mikasa and Armin shift behind him and Yuuki cried out. 

Annie's movement was so simple and so full of finesse. She simply moved both of her hands in opposite motions and Eren cringed as he heard the crack that Yuuki's mother's neck gave out before she dropped to the ground. 

Eren had jumped over the body and tackled Annie, snarling on top of her, his jaws coming down to bite down at any part of her that he could get. But then he felt her claws pierce his stomach and he whimpered as he was kicked off. Annie was on her feet and facing him then before she gave out another precise kick that had his head colliding with a nearby wall; there was not enough space. 

He then felt Mikasa and it was a moment before Mikasa jumped over him and tackled Annie herself, her claws scratching at the vampire as they rolled down the alley. Eren turned for a moment, seeing Armin's own wolf body blocking off Yuuki, who had taken his time to shift as well and the small, black-furred wolf stared back at Eren pleadingly, whimpering. 

Eren turned back toward the fight but quickly found that Mikasa was snarling up at the wall that Annie had began climbing. She tried jumping up to reach the vampire as well as using other walls as a means of help but it was all useless. Annie had climbed up the wall and disappeared out of view. 

Mikasa stopped in her efforts and straightened before raising her head high and letting out a loud howl, one that echoed across the streets and sent a clear message to other lycans. The Rogue was loose, and they would try to stop him. 

Eren had already turned, ready to follow Annie but Mikasa stopped him, shaking her head slightly. He snarled uselessly and then whimpered while staring down at the body on the street. Mikasa nuzzled the side of his head, trying for it to be a comforting gesture. 

He closed his eyes and leaned in for a moment – lycans were very affectionate and caring by nature - before he stepped away and walked over to Armin and Yuuki. Yuuki had broken down, his body lying flat on the ground with his paws lying over his muzzle to cover the whimpers to continued coming. Eren nuzzled at the side of his head affectionately before he growled lightly, telling to other to get going. 

He looked back to the place where Annie had stood and wondered whether she was right. 

~~*~~*~~

“Eren!” Eren only had a second to actually turn around before Levi was standing before him. Even though Eren hovered over Levi with height, Levi managed to look menacing and dangerous with a single look. “Why the fuck is Yuuki in that room?” Levi snarled. Eren realised that it was a façade; Levi cared for the young lycan though he didn't admit it. 

“He was caught up in it. He was the bait.” Eren shook his head sadly, not daring to look at Levi. “He's refusing to change back.” He hesitantly looked up at Levi. “I thought you could help.” 

Levi's eyes widened suddenly. “How the fuck am I supposed to do that?” He exclaimed. “How the fuck do you even talk to a kid?” He muttered afterwards, almost as if he was speaking to himself. “His mother is dead and I'm supposed to talk to him?” He added in exasperation. 

“I'm sorry.” Eren muttered. “He was involved because of me. If Annie wasn't after me, his mother would still be alive.” 

Levi sighed and pondered for a moment. “Why did Annie want you there?” Eren hesitated for a moment. “Eren?” 

“Same as usual.” Eren murmured. “She tried to kill me and Mikasa and Armin showed up right on time.” He told Levi, swallowing the shame he felt through the lie. 

Levi sighed again and nodded once before leaning up, leaving a chaste peck on Eren's lips. “Good.” He commented. “I have to worry enough about you as it is.” Levi then took a step back and frowned. “Poor kid. Had to watch his mother die right in front of him.” Levi's eyes widened slightly as he realised what he said. Placing his own hands at Eren's waist, he stepped forward again, “I'm sorry.” 

“It's fine.” Eren muttered. He was over his mother's death. It still hurt inside, but it wasn't a constant pain in his chest any more like it used to be. 

“Maybe you should talk to him.” Levi said softly. Eren nodded but when he stepped towards the door, his fingers had interlocked with Levi's. Levi followed him as Eren opened the door and stepped into the room. 

“Yuuki?” 

A small, pathetic growl came from the bed. They both looked over and found the black-furred wolf lying on the bed, half-hidden under the covers. Yuuki's light blue eyes stared at them from the darkness under the covers. 

“Come on, Yuuki. Shift back and we can talk.” Eren tried softly, walking over and crouching by the bed. In a response, Yuuki turned his head away. 

“Hell, we don't even have to talk. But you're getting damn dog fur all over freshly washed covers.” Levi muttered to which Eren sent him a glare. Levi sent him a helpless shrug. But finally, Levi sighed and walked over. He sat down on the other end of the bed. “Hey, kid, guess where you are.” 

When he received no answer, Levi continued. 

“You're at the Survey Corps headquarters inside Wall Maria. Outside that door are all the soldiers of the Survey Corps and if I'm not mistaken, the Commander's quarters are just around the corner.” Yuuki's head poked out a bit from under the bed. “All those people walking in that hallway? They fought their way to be here. They survived a lot of shit. Don't you want to be one of them?” Yuuki whimpered lightly in an answer. 

Levi sighed and nodded. “Then you have to get your shit together. That's how the world works: shit happens but you push it away and pretend you're over it and it doesn't hurt. Hell, it hurts and it hurts a fuck load but you have to be brave and put a smile on your face anyway.” 

Eren nodded. “I watched my mom die.” He murmured to Yuuki and Levi's face softened. “I watched a Rogue rip her apart while I was being pulled away by the soldiers. I was helpless to do anything.” Eren smile faded slowly as he turned his gaze to the floor. “But that's what drives me forward now. The thought of innocent people dying drives me to kill all the Rogues.” Eren paused, biting down on his lip. “I'm sorry I didn't save your mom.” 

“But Eren got over it.” Levi commented. “Well, he didn't. But he pretends he's over it and plasters a smile on his face every day. He wakes up and thinks of how to kill the Rogues and how to protect the walls.” Levi paused and cracked a smirk. “Or well, he doesn't think. He just throws himself into the danger. But he deserves to be here more than some of us. He fights. And I'm proud of him.” Levi lowered his gaze to the ground. “And I'm proud of you too, Yuuki. I watched you grow up, kid. You're going to be an amazing person. Don't let this stop you.”

Eren watched Levi with wide eyes. He knew Levi had a soft side, but for it to come out when he spoke to Yuuki was surprising. He hadn't predicted it. 

“You really think so?” Eren turned to look at Yuuki. Still hidden under the covers, Yuuki's light blue eyes stared back at Levi but this time, from a human face. “You really think I can become a soldier one day?” Yuuki repeated, a sniffle to his voice. 

Levi smiled lightly and reached forward, ruffling the kid's hair. “Definitely.” 

Eren smiled at the two and the thought struck him suddenly. Levi was his mate and some day, they would be expected to have a family of their own. He didn't doubt Levi would risk his own life for his family; he already did that when it came to his friends. 

“Thanks, Levi. And Eren.” Yuuki muttered, his voice worn out. 

Eren simply smiled. “Don't mention it.” But inside, he was pondering on what Levi had said. 

The world was a cruel place. You put a smile on your face even when you were the opposite of okay. Realising he was the far from okay – and according to Annie, would get even farther – he simply smiled and acted like everything was just fine. That's what he had to tell himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. I think that with school now, chapters will begin coming once a week, unfortunately :/  
> Thank you all for the response this story is getting. Thank you for the comments and the kudos and all the nice posts/messages on Tumblr. I track the tag fic: etch, if anything.  
> I'm actually silently working on a new story. I'm gonna vaguely base it off the book Delirium by Lauren Oliver but only for the basic idea, not the whole plot. Of course, it will be Eren/Levi. ;)  
> I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Eren continued repeating, but his voice was distant, and Levi wasn’t sure whether he was speaking to him or to himself. He wanted to know what triggered this; whoever had brought his mate to this state was going to pay. “I’m a monster. I’m sorry.” He sobbed again, clutching tighter at Levi.

Erwin didn't waste any time. It seemed that he had been planning this ever since Wall Maria fell and knowing him, Levi wouldn't be surprised if he was. Erwin Smith was always a few steps ahead and if you thought he wasn't, then that simply meant he was even further ahead than you could imagine. 

So the date for the expedition was set. They were to leave tomorrow afternoon. Now, there was a good twenty-eight hours before Levi would mount his horse and set out into the unknown together with the rest of the Survey Corps. 

“You're acting like an obsessive girlfriend.” Levi murmured around the toothbrush before spitting the foam into the sink and rinsing his mouth right afterwards. “I've had those before.” He added as a side-comment. 

Eren stood at the back of the bathroom, right opposite the mirror and behind Levi. He was leaning back on the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face. “I'm sorry that I care if you die.” He bitterly snapped in a reply. 

“I won't.” Levi simply replied, putting his toothbrush back in its place. He paused for a moment, looking at the other toothbrush that belonged to Eren and he couldn't help but let the corners of his lips rise up. 

“I'm not joking, Levi.” Eren muttered, his voice quieter and lower – serious. 

Levi turned around and faced him. “Neither am I.” He replied firmly. Eren's expression didn't change so Levi sighed and walked forward before he was standing right in front of him, looking up at his mate softly. “I'll be fine, Eren. I always am.” 

“Right.” Eren sneered, rolling his eyes. “And the amount of times you've been hurt and almost died is non-existent, right?” He murmured bitterly. Levi sighed in a reply and Eren's face softened. He reached out and took a firm hold of Levi's waist before pulling him forward and into his own body. “Do you have to go?” 

“You know the answer to that question.” Levi murmured in a reply. Eren's hands trailed up to his shoulders and then down his arms in a soft gesture before their fingers intertwined. 

Eren looked down, watching their hands carefully and thoughtfully. “Fine.” He whispered. He stepped away from Levi and walked back into the room, leaving Levi behind in the bathroom. Levi stood there, his gaze still on the ground. 

It was only a few seconds before Eren came back into the bathroom and Levi furrowed his eyebrows as Eren took his previous spot right in front of him again. 

“Since I can't be sure that you will come back,” Eren started, keeping his gaze on the ground, shyly. He paused, furrowing his eyebrows. “I was planning to do this differently, but I was at the market the other day and - “ He cut himself off again and huffed. He then grabbed Levi's left hand and opened up his own. 

Levi's whole body froze once he saw the ring Eren was holding. It was simple but somehow, beautiful. Apart from the gold, there was a tiny, subtle teal-green crystal embedded in it – a crystal of the very same colour as Eren's eyes. 

Levi immediately reached forward and closed Eren's hand. “Eren, don't.” He quickly breathed out. “Don't do it because I'm leaving. That's not how it works.” There was a desperation to his tone, and he wondered why that was. Was it simply because of Eren's timing? Or was it because it was too soon? 

Of course it wasn't too soon. By the standards of the Etch, they had taken it extremely slow. It had been give or take a month since they first saw each other and any other couple would have been married and perhaps blood-bound at this point. But Levi was taking it slow; he was new to the whole thing. He was only grateful that Eren understood. 

“I know.” Eren spoke up, now meeting his gaze firmly. “I'm doing it because I love you. And I need the comfort of knowing that you're out there, wearing this,” He opened his hand again and looked down at the ring, “So that everybody knows that you're my mate.” He breathed out a shaky breath and looked away again, his cheeks turning a crimson red. 

Levi was pretty sure that getting a heart attack was a possible outcome of this. His heart was beating so fast he could hardly hear a word Eren had said ever since his lips formed the 'L' word. His lips parted to reply, to say something – to say anything – but he was simply frozen in time, staring right at Eren. 

“I - “ He started and then looked away, feeling his body tense. He was ready to say it before, then what the hell was happening now? 

“You don't have to say it.” Eren assured him softly. “It's fine, Levi.” He smiled lightly, assuringly. 

Levi couldn't take the soft gaze Eren was giving him. He brought his other arm up and covered his face with his forearm. There was a fear rising in his chest now, and his eyes stung as an after effect of what Eren said. “Just put the damn ring on my finger.” He mumbled, still keeping his face covered. 

He heard Eren laugh lightly and then felt the cool metal slide over his finger before it stopped. It was a constant weight on his finger but it was reassuring and comforting, and he knew he would definitely get used to it quickly. “Dammit, Eren.” He murmured, putting his arm down. “This should've been my job.” He added silently. 

“Well, that's too bad.” Eren shot back. “I beat you.” He grinned cheekily. 

Levi sighed and looked down at the band around his finger. “So that's really happening...” He murmured to himself. 

Eren furrowed his eyebrows. “Did you think it wouldn't?”

Levi chuckled. “I figured you'd get sick of me.” He admitted. 

“Well, sorry for the disappointment.” Eren teased. Levi shook his head, one of the biggest smiles plastered on his face as Eren leaned down and connected their lips. Levi kept his eyes closed, Eren's hands gentle on his hips. One of his hands slid up Levi's body to cup his cheek, his thumb carefully caressing while they kissed softly. He kissed him softly and sweetly and Eren was such a warm presence right before him and Levi suddenly understood what the big deal with the Etch is. 

He understood that, if it came to it, he would gladly throw down his own life to save Eren, and that was a scary thought. He never thought about that before. 

“Knock, knock!” Hanji's voice yelled from the hallway door. “I hope you're not naked cause I'm coming in!” They both pulled away and turned toward the bathroom door just as Hanji opened the door and peeked in, not realising they were there until she saw them by the corner and almost jumped. “Do the two of you have nothing better to do than sulk around creepy corners?” She huffed. 

“What is it?” Levi simply asked her. As close as he and Hanji were, Hanji knew he enjoyed his solace so she didn't always bother him until it was needed. 

“Mike and I are in charge of supplies and since you're usually involved, I hoped you could help.” Hanji told him, frowning sympathetically. She seemed to have realised the position they were in, pressed against the bathroom wall with Levi's body leaning fully on Eren. 

Levi sighed and nodded silently. He took a short moment more with his forehead leaned on Eren's shoulder before he pulled back. They would never get a break, he realised. But before he could walk away, Eren had grabbed his hand and pulled him back in for a quick kiss – a silent promise. Levi could almost feel Hanji grin like an idiot before he turned and saw the manic grin for real. 

“Go play with the other kids. I'll see you later.” 

“Speaking of kids,” Hanji quickly interjected. “I spoke with a few other Captains, since Erwin is busy and Yuuki can stay here for a few days. But no longer than that. If anything, he will be sent to the Garrison headquarters. He is a lycan, after all. After that...” Hanji sighed and the other two instantly frowned. “He doesn't have any other family so he will probably go into care until he can join the trainees.” 

Eren instantly stepped forward. “He can't go into care.” He spoke quickly. “I've seen what it's like. Especially not right now when there are strikes and shortages.” He turned to Levi, seeking help. 

“Are there any other choices?” Levi reasoned, his eyes silently pleading Hanji. 

Hanji shook her head as an answer and they both slouched. “Eren, it will be for the better.” Levi told him silently. 

Eren sighed but didn't say anything. Hanji motioned her head towards the door and Levi nodded. “We'll sort out the details later.” 

Eren nodded. “I'll go see Yuuki.” He replied to which Levi gave a small nod and a small smile. Hanji turned to leave and Levi began to follow. “I love you.” 

Levi froze in his steps, his back towards Eren. “I -” He started before his fists clenched. “Me too.” He muttered and heard Eren chuckle behind him as he made his way out of the door, a blush quickly rising on his cheeks. 

~~*~~*~~

“So, how has your day been?” Hanji started nonchalantly while they walked down the hallway. Levi huffed and rolled his eyes, realising how awkward her tone was. She clearly understood that she had walked in on something important and interrupted it and Levi couldn’t help but be proud at the slight guilt in her voice. 

“It’s been fine.” He muttered. 

“Levi, you do understand that this expedition is different, right?” 

Of course he did. This time, they were leaving the walls to travel into the cities they had walked amongst, to run between houses that people had lived in not even a week ago. This time they would pass by fresh, rotting bodies as they discovered what their beautiful land had turned into. 

Obviously, there was also a change in formation and tactics. He had already spoken with Erwin about it. Instead of trees, they had buildings. And since the whole of the Survey Corps were leaving, they had to leave during the night, which put them at a disadvantage against the vampire Rogues. No doubt, the casualties would be higher than they were before. 

“Of course I do.” He replied simply. 

“Then why is there a ring around your finger?” He should have known; Hanji was very observant, after all. Levi simply looked down at said ring and smiled lightly. “Is that what I walked in on?” She asked quietly, but Levi didn’t give her a straight answer. He simply gave her a displeased look. She laughed lightly, “The kid has some guts, you have to give him that. I’m sometimes scared to ask you to get coffee with me, let alone ask you to marry me.” 

“I wouldn’t marry you.” Levi replied in a murmur. “You’re not my type and you’re fucking crazy.” 

Hanji laughed then, a loud and cheerful laugh. “You’re not my type, either.” She commented. “I like my men tall and with facial hair.” Levi rolled his eyes and shoved at her, making her stumble while she laughed again. “Are you going to go through with it?” 

“Of course I will.” He snapped impatiently. “If anything, I’m surprised Eren will go through with it.” Levi added as a side comment. “He’s scared I won’t come back.” He admitted silently. 

“It’s a rightful worry.” Hanji answered with a shrug. “Now, how many carriages can we take? Erwin said the numbers changed since we’re going into smaller areas.” 

Levi answered and Hanji wrote it down. “Two of those filled with gas refills?” 

“Three.” Levi answered. “And fill them up with as much as you can. The 3D manoeuvring gear will be our best chance of survival out there.” 

“Sir!” 

Levi turned, raising an eyebrow at Erd coming down the hallway and towards him. “What is it?” 

“It’s Petra, sir. She wants to speak with you.” Something inside Levi’s chest constricted uncomfortably and he immediately nodded, dismissing himself from Hanji and promising he would find her later. 

He knew Petra would survive this. She was a strong woman, after all. And the fact she wanted to speak with him could only mean one of the two things; either she was going to slap him again or she was ready to fight along his side once again. 

~~*~~*~~

“Where do you suppose Hanji will be?” 

“Eren, I’m not stupid. You know that Levi is with Hanji. You can just directly ask me if I know where Levi is.” 

“Fuck you, Armin.” Eren huffed, leaning his head back. “Stop assuming things.”

“Language!”Armin snapped quickly, his already large eyes widening before he motioned to Yuuki with his head. Yuuki was currently sitting next to Mikasa, silently speaking with her. Eren could hear what they said if he wanted to, but he didn't bother listening in. “You're horrible around kids.” 

“I'm awesome around kids.” Eren replied, offended. “I'm great with kids.” He rephrased, his tone proud. 

“Eren, you're still a kid.” 

“I'm eighteen soon, actually.” Eren narrowed his eyes. 

“Not sooner than I am.” Armin smirked teasingly. Eren rolled his eyes. 

“You've grown up to be really rude, you know.” Eren pointed out. 

“I have not!” Armin argued back quickly. “Actually, I've been told by Commander Smith that I have a very good head on my shoulders.” Armin's cheeks heated up as he said it and Eren narrowed his eyes at the response. 

“I really hope you're not doing what I'm thinking...” Eren murmured. “You know what happened to his last mate, right?” There was a warning in his voice. 

“Of course.” Armin replied with a huff. “I'm not interested in that way, Eren. I just admire him. He's a very intelligent man.” He pointed out. 

“He's also creepy as fuck and chats up people who have mates.” Eren almost growled. 

“Wow. Way to be biased.” Armin muttered. 

Eren rolled his eyes again. “So, do you know where Levi is?” He hoped he wasn't being to clingy. He had quickly realised that vampires weren't the same as lycans even when it came to relationships. Vampires were distant and cold and yet still managed to keep hold of close relationships. Their relationships were all about the feelings involved. Lycans, however, relied much on physical contact. They were affectionate creatures by nature and their love was shown through their acts. He realised, perhaps that was why relationships between vampires and lycans were never perfect. 

But he and Levi worked to make it perfect and Eren smiled just thinking about the fact that Levi wore his ring to show that yes, Levi had a mate and yes, he was taken and yes, he was completely devoted to Eren. 

“Have you tried the lab? Hanji is usually there.” Armin pointed out, throwing a ball up and catching it. His shift on the wall was starting soon. Armin turned to look at Eren and once he noticed the pleading look, he huffed and rolled his eyes. “Go.” He mumbled and then whistled, catching Mikasa and Yuuki's attention. “You guys wanna play catch?” He called. 

And Eren had slipped away. 

He knew his way around the building pretty well by now. He made his way to the lab and knocked lightly. When he received no answer, he opened the door and walked in. He looked around the room slowly and slouched when he didn't find Levi. He should have known; he couldn't smell the vampire either. 

But he smelled something else. 

His eyes cast back to the multiple tables around the lab and his body tensed, memories coming back from what Annie had said. Rogue blood made him sick, but he was also immune, which meant his body would crave it constantly. 

Like it did right now. 

He cast his eyes from vial to vial, silently hoping for a rescue or an intervention of any sort. He looked down at his own hands where his claws has began to shift involuntarily. He quickly tried to get them back in but his body wasn't listening to him. 

His breathing has quickened as he blinked, his vision becoming clearer as his wolf took over. He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut firmly, trying to get the idea and vision out of his head. At the same time, the door on the other side of the room opened and Moblit came in. His eyes widened once he saw Eren. 

“Eren? Are you okay?” 

He opened his eyes, his teeth having lengthened as he stared agape at Moblit, trying to come up with a promising answer. His eyes cast back to the vials on the table and he found himself walking towards them. Unfortunately, his view was then blocked once Moblit came forward. 

“Eren? What's wrong?” He felt a growl vibrating through his chest as Moblit blocked his way. The vampire was in his way and Eren wasn't going to stand for it. His claws has began to extend again, his clear vision upon Moblit while the vampire stared clueless at him. 

_Threat!_ A voice screamed inside his head. _He's in the way. Get rid of him._

“Eren, you're freaking me out.” Moblit breathed out. “Should I get Levi?” 

Levi. He blinked upon the name, his breath hitching. He needed Levi. He needed Levi beside him. He needed Levi to help him get through this. 

_Too bad Levi won't give a shit once he finds out what you are. A monster._

Eren growled, backing away from Moblit and towards the door. His eyes focused on the table behind Moblit again and he began circling slowly, like a wolf stalking a prey. In the corner of his eye he watched Moblit's hand twitch towards his silver blade. 

He felt his body heat rising quickly, his muscles preparing to shift, his bones awaiting to break and rearrange. He stepped forward but his view was blocked once again when Moblit changed positions and stepped in front of him. Eren snarled, his body already on the brink of shifting. 

And only then did the realisation hit him. 

He understood what he was doing. He understood that he was standing in the middle of a lab in a building full of vampires. He understood that he was on the brink of shifting into a huge wolf. He understood that he was standing there, snarling and ready to attack one of the few vampires that trusted him. 

He stumbled back then, and the fight or flight instinct turned on. This wasn't a fight he wanted to undertake. He had to get out of there. But he was too far gone, too close to the edge. He only took one more step back but that's all it took; his body was suddenly shifting and he couldn't stop it. 

Briefly, in the corner of his eye, he saw one of the cameras beeping, the green light turning red suddenly. And he was then stood in front of Moblit, staring at the vampire through his wolf eyes, still baring his teeth. Moblit had drew his blade and though it was pointed at Eren, he noticed a shakiness in his movement. 

The smell has become stronger now but Eren whimpered and quickly backed away. He shook his head, snarling as he tried to get away from the overpowering smell of the Rogue blood in the room. He turned but found that his path was blocked by a door. Levi would find out. He would find out what Eren had done and he would break the engagement and he would get sick of Eren and he would leave him, hell, maybe even kill him. Eren was a monster after all. 

Suddenly, a loud alarm blared through the hallways and his eyes widened as he realised he had triggered it. Moblit had put down his weapon and was now quickly looking around the room before he ran over to a switch of some sorts and quickly flicked it on. 

The blaring stopped, but Eren was already out of the room, the broken door left as the only evidence that he was there at all. 

~~*~~*~~

“Petra?” His voice was perhaps slightly above a whisper as he opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind him. In the dark room, he wasn't expecting what was coming. 

Arms wrapped around his neck and a sudden wetness hit his neck and before he knew it, he was wrapping his arms around Petra in return while she sobbed at his neck, trying to make out words but failing horribly. 

“I-I'm so s-sorry, L-levi.” She sobbed, stuttering along the way. “I-I hit you a-and you didn't deserve it. I-I so sorry.” She whimpered between her sobs and Levi quickly shushed her, his hand rubbing comforting circles on her back. 

“I'm just glad you're okay.” He admitted in a whisper. “I'm so sorry, Petra. I never meant for any of this to happen.” He squeezed her tighter, burying his own face in her hair. “I'm so sorry.” 

“D-don't be!” She quickly whimpered out. “None of it was y-your fault. I-I'm sorry for making y-you feel responsible.” Her voice has become slightly more stable and Levi smiled, pulling back slightly to press a comforting kiss to her temple, a kiss he knew she needed right now. 

“Come on. Sit down.” He murmured and she nodded, sniffling as she pulled back and immediately looked down, ashamed. 

He tried to give her the softest smile he could muster (when Eren wasn't around, anyway) and grabbed her hand, leading her towards the bed. She sat down on it and he sat down opposite of her in one of the chairs. He grabbed a tissue from the table and handed it to her, watching silently and she wiped her tears off her cheeks. 

“I abandoned you. I abandoned the squad. I abandoned my responsibilities. I'm so sorry.” She finally whispered. 

“You had a reason.” Levi simply replied. “What happened?” He asked and he knew she would understand the question. 

She smiled sadly. “You don't understand the pain.” She whispered before looking away. “It's like the whole world suddenly loses colour. Everything is grey and bleak and pointless. Each move, each step, each breath; everything hurts. It's like everything around you has died.” She mumbled, reaching out to touch a bouquet of dead flowers on the bedside table. Levi recognised the flowers as the ones he had brought her some time ago. 

“You mourn. You cry. You try to come to terms with what happened. But each one of those thoughts brings in a new wave of pain, and you don't know how to deal with it. It gets so bad...” She trailed off for a moment, a vacant look appearing in her eyes before she shook her head slightly. “It gets so bad that you even consider killing yourself. Surely, stabbing a knife through your heart would hurt less.” 

“What's in the way, then?” Levi tried to understand. Not many survived their mates dying. 

“You remember that there are other people in the world.” Petra replied softly. “You remember that there are other people who worry, who care, who depend on you. It takes a while to come to terms with that. It takes a while to realise they would all mourn you and you would just bring more unhappiness. So you balance it all out and make a decision: which one would hurt the least?” 

“I'm proud of you. You made the right decision.” His hand has sneaked forward and grabbed hers, giving her a comforting squeeze. “You're braver than I could ever hope to be, Petra.” 

“I've dedicated my life to protecting humanity. I've dedicated my life to following your orders; to following you.” She whispered softly. She hesitated before she softly added, “He would have wanted it that way.” 

Levi gave her a reassuring smile ad brought her hand up to his lips for a moment. “He would have.” He agreed. 

Petra narrowed her eyes suddenly before snatching her hand out of his. “What the hell happened to you?” She asked sharply. 

Levi raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” 

“You haven't sworn once since you came in here. You've been all touchy and comforting, and it's making me really uncomfortable.” She pointed out, a teasing glint sparkling weakly in her eyes. 

“Well, a lot of things have changed.” He smirked and she nodded, her eyes casting down to look upon the ring on his finger. 

“So I see.” She commented. “I do hope it's Eren, not anybody else.” She spoke firmly and he grinned before nodding. 

“God, you're bossy.” He commented. 

“That's right.” She shrugged lightly. “And I do hope you guys haven't been slacking off while I was away.” She must have seen something flicker across Levi's face because she rolled her eyes. “You have, haven't you?” 

Levi pursed his lips. “Wall Maria fell.” He muttered. 

Petra frowned, her lips straightening. “I heard.” She murmured. “Losses?” 

“Heavy.” He replied silently. “Fucking loads.” He looked up at her. “There's an expedition to assess the damage tomorrow but I don't expect you to be there.” He told her. 

“You've gotta be freaking kidding me.” She snapped and Levi's eyes widened. He suddenly remembered why he liked Petra so much. “I'm not staying here like some damn invalid while you all get the glory.” 

Levi gave her a weak attempt at a smile. “It's not just the glory.” He pointed out silently. 

Petra nodded. “Training back on?” She questioned instead. 

He looked down at his watch. “Definitely. But it's going to be your job to gather everyone.” He added quickly. 

She gave him a look that said she accepted the challenge. “Fine.” She replied. 

“And Petra?” He started again. She hummed and raised an eyebrow. “If anything – and I do mean anything – comes up and you feel like you can't continue -” He was cut off by a loud blaring in the building and his eyes widened as he quickly stood up, the chair falling behind him with the sudden movement. 

Petra's eyes widened. “Lycan? Inside headquarters?” Levi was already halfway towards the door when the alarm stopped. Was it an accident? He wasn't going to risk it. He only knew a few lycans that were either inside or around the headquarters. 

“I'll meet you later.” He quickly rushed out, opening the door. He paused for a moment. “I'm really glad you're back.” He quickly added, giving her a tight smile before he shut the door behind him and began racing down the hallway. 

Taking a deep breath in, he quickly managed to pick up the scent of a lycan and not just any lycan, but his mate. Eren's scent wasn't the same, there was a certain desperation to it, almost fear and Levi's heart quickened at the idea of Eren being afraid. 

He followed the scent quickly through the hallways. “Levi!” He paused and turned, seeing Hanji rushing down the hallway with Moblit by her side. “Something is wrong with Eren. Moblit said he -” 

“Where is he?” Levi quickly rushed out. 

“I didn't see which way he went.” Moblit quickly answered. 

Levi huffed and turned to Hanji. “Tell me later. Eren needs me.” He quickly spoke and began rushing down the hallway again, following the scent. 

The smell was overpowering and Levi passed multiple snarling vampires, their fangs instantly lengthening at the smell of an intruding lycan. But Levi only had one thing on his mind; he needed to get to Eren. 

The smell quickly led him back to his own quarters and as he rounded the corner, he found Mikasa rounding the corner on the other side. They met at the door but Levi didn’t bother saying a word or even chewing her out for walking into his room; he simply burst through the door and looked around the room quickly. 

But he found the room empty. 

The shower was on. 

Did Eren simply shift to get under a shower? The smell of the lycan was still high in the air and something flashed across his mind, a dark furred world snarling – the very same wolf Levi recognised as Eren – and it made sense. Levi’s mind cast back to what Pixis had told him about lycans and vampires mating; what Eren was doing was sending out a distress call. 

He opened the door to the bathroom and immediately burst in. 

Eren was sat under the shower and though the bathtub kept most of Eren’s modesty, he was sobbing, his tears mixed with the cold water streaming over his body. His hands had wrapped around his head and covered it, making him smaller and making him look vulnerable as he sat there. 

“Eren?” Mikasa was right beside him, rushing to come in but Levi brought his hand out to stop her. 

“I’ve got this.” He murmured and she looked like she would argue for a moment, but then she sighed and nodded once before she retreated. She clearly understood the boundaries. 

Eren’s body was shaking as Levi approached, and his sobs tore through his whole body. Levi grabbed the biggest towel he could get his hands on and approached. He turned off the shower and Eren looked up slightly, though he did not dare to look right at Levi. “D-don’t.” He whimpered out, stuttering. “E-everything burns.” 

And he was right, because Levi could feel the heat off his skin even as he crouched down. “Come on, Eren.” He whispered, his voice soft. He felt as if he was approaching a frightened, injured animal. An animal that, if provoked, was capable of biting his head off as an instinct. 

He drooped the towel over Eren’s body and received a whimper in return. When Eren’s body relaxed at his touch, he took it as a good sign and quickly wrapped the towel tighter before picking him up and out of the bathtub. He carried him over to the bedroom and gently placed him on the bed but when he was to take a step back, he realised Eren’s hand had desperately grabbed onto his shirt. 

“Eren, what happened?” Levi rushed out. He knew that if Eren wanted to speak with him, he would but he didn’t have the time to play that game right now. 

“I’m sorry, I’m a monster. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Eren trembled with every word, his breathing coming heavy and shaky – vulnerable. His heart beat at a mortifying pace, he was drenched in sweat and his eyes were closed tightly, scrunching tighter with each breath. Levi quickly recognised this as a panic attack. 

“Eren, breathe.” Levi quickly spoke. “Come on.” He wrapped himself closer, soothingly running his hands over Eren’s back, flinching as his skin touched Eren’s burning one. “Slowly.” He added quietly as Eren nodded once and tried to keep his breathing slower. 

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Eren continued repeating but his voice was distant, and Levi wasn’t sure whether he was speaking to him or to himself. He wanted to know what triggered this; whoever had brought his mate to this state was going to pay. “I’m a monster. I’m sorry.” He sobbed again, clutching tighter at Levi. 

“What happened?” Levi repeated. He tried to keep his voice soft and comforting but it was impossible as the anger inside him bubbled up. 

“L-levi,” Eren breathed out his name, fisting his shirt. “You can’t leave tomorrow, you can’t.” He shook his head, his tearful eyes opening and looking up straight at Levi. “You can’t leave, you can’t, you can’t.” He continued repeating. “I can’t do it. I can’t.” He shook his head, taking in a shaky breath again. 

“Eren, please, tell me.” Levi’s voice came out quiet, pleading. 

“I can’t do it without you, please, please.” He continued repeating before his eyes widened. “Blood-bonding. We have to do it. Maybe it will help, maybe I won’t be a monster, maybe it can-“ 

“Eren.” Levi stopped him. “Stop. Calm down.” 

“I don’t want to lose you.” Eren whimpered. “And I will. I will, because I’m a monster and I’ll lose you.” He shook his head, his lip trembling with the effort. 

“Shh,” Levi hushed him again. “There’s nothing you can do to lose me. I love you, you idiot.” Levi murmured as a comfort and his eyes widened as he realised what he said and that he actually meant it. 

Eren sobbed then, burying his head in Levi’s chest. “That’s not going to be enough.” He whimpered. Levi frowned; what else could there be? “I-I need you with me, Levi.” He murmured, his breathing having slowed down. 

“You’ve got me.” Levi assured. 

“Not for ever.” Eren mumbled quietly, his voice drowsy. “Not for ever. I’m a monster.” The words trailed off and Levi felt his body go limp in his arms and Eren’s breathing evened out completely. 

He was asleep, and Levi had never been more awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, you thought there would be no drama because the chapter started out nicely? That's not how I roll.  
> The expedition should be the next chapter and I think the chapter after that, you guys are going to absolutely LOVE. Before everything goes to hell again...  
> So, I have no experience of panic attacks so I don't know how to portray it. I just needed Eren to really react. And yeah, it seems that Levi is always running around, making sure that Eren is okay. I need to work on that. Poor babies.  
> But Petra is back! Yaaaaay.  
> And yeah, the L word has been said. Like, I planned for it to be really spontaneous and for Levi to say it and then be like 'hold on, what did I say?' but once I started writing, the words turned against me and they were like 'lol nope.' And then when I was writing the last bit, I was struggling cause I literally forgot how to write for a moment but I hope it was sad and dramatic enough.  
> But omg omg we reached 17k reads and a thousand kudos! Thank you so much for everything guys!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But there was no emotion in Erwin's gaze and his face was completely impassive. “That's correct.” He replied simply. “But I do understand your concern.” He added after a pause. Eren nodded and continued walking down the hallway. “After all, you wouldn't want any lies between you and Levi, isn't that correct?”

The first sun rays pierced the darkness. At first it is a small, rosy, warm glow in the horizon. But as the sun rose, the sky became a glorious shade of blue; it went from a light yellow to a more intense colour, mixing in with purples and breaking-up the deeper shades of blue from the previous night. As all of the purple and deep blue faded away, the sun began to take its mighty position at the top of the sky, shining and representing the new day.

Levi crunched his eyes at the blinding rays coming through the windows; really, he should have been intelligent enough to close the blinds before he permanently got himself stuck on the bed. 

His arms were still wrapped securely around his mate; Eren's breathing was deep and slow and somehow, it brought Levi comfort to know he was sleeping peacefully for now. Earlier, Eren had struggled through nightmares of his own and after the first one, Levi couldn't find it in him to go to sleep. Eren needed him. 

Squinting at the sun, he sighed and then looked down at Eren again. His mate's head was nuzzled into his white shirt, still wet in patches from where Levi had picked up a wet Eren a few hours prior. He wanted to know – hell, he needed to know – what happened to Eren. 

There was a silent knock on the door and Levi almost hissed, glaring towards the door instantly. When the door opened slowly and Petra's face appeared, he relaxed slightly. It was good to see Petra. He was glad she had managed to get through a tragedy such as Auruo's death and – if Hanji was right – he was even glad she was up and running, interacting with others again. 

“Sir?” She had, of course, returned to her old habits. “The evaluation is at noon. Each soldier is required to be there.” Her eyes scanned over their position and a small, pitiful smile graced her lips. Levi had no doubt she heard what happened. 

“I'll be there.” He sighed in a reply. She watched him for a moment, unconvinced, before she nodded and backed out, closing the door behind her. 

Levi had moved his hand, his fingers running through Eren's hair slowly. How was he expected to leave on an expedition today when his mate was in a condition like this? 

Levi still had to speak with Hanji and Moblit. Hanji insisted that Moblit had a lot to say about what happened – he had witnessed it, after all – but Levi had not had the time to hear either of them out yet. Hanji had only came in once to check on them and brought them food. Mikasa had also stopped by twice, making sure Eren was okay – the little blond had even tagged along once. In some way, Levi was happy that Eren had such good friends he could rely on. 

Looking up at the window again, his eyes cast to the calendar not far from him. His eyes closed as he came to a sudden realisation; the full moon was in four days. If he did – or when, he did (he tried to stay positive) – come back from the expedition, it would be a matter of time before Eren was sent out the walls again. Except, this time, the fear wasn't as big – Eren was immune after all. 

Eren stirred in his sleep again and Levi instantly became aware of their surroundings again, broken out of his thoughts. Eren's breathing pattern changed and although Levi couldn't see his eyes open, he knew Eren was awake. 

“You didn't sleep.” Were Eren's first words. 

“I'm fine.” Levi assured him quietly. 

Eren's head turned and he placed a quick kiss to the nearest part of Levi's body. “I'm sorry.” He whispered and then chuckled bitterly. “It seems all I ever do is apologize.” He murmured. 

“It's fine.” 

Eren raised his head and looked up, frowning once he saw Levi's face. “Levi...” He breathed out, his eyebrows furrowing. Levi wasn't even looking at him. “I'm not sure what else to tell you.” He added silently. 

Levi turned to look at him then, a sigh heavy on his lips. “You scared the crap out of me.” He murmured, his voice perhaps a bit too harsh. “What the hell happened?” 

Slowly, Eren pursed his lips and brought his head back down, lying it across Levi's chest. He remained silent and just when Levi thought he wouldn't say anything, Eren's voice sounded quietly. “I panicked.” He whispered. 

“You panicked?” 

“I was looking for you and I got to Hanji's lab and -” He cut off hesitantly. “Everything suddenly hit me. The realisation of the position I was in and we don't know what's going to happen and then you're leaving and I don't know whether you're coming back and the Rogues are still after me and -” He cut off again, breathing quickly and trying to get his breathing to become regular again. 

Levi shushed him, seeing the trouble Eren was having. “It's fine to not be okay, sometimes.” He muttered. 

“You don't seem to understand that, either.” Eren shot back, but there was no bitterness in his voice: just concern. 

Levi sighed yet again, squeezing his arms around Eren tighter. “Is that all that happened? You didn't get hurt or anything, did you?” He asked. 

Eren nodded. “I must have shifted once the panic struck in. It's happened before, when I was a kid.” He admitted. “Why do you ask?” 

“I thought it was obvious: I care.” Levi replied with a shrug. “And Hanji made it out like Moblit had something important to tell me...” 

Eren seemed to tense for just a split second but quickly relaxed again. “What did he tell you? I didn't hurt him, did I?” He asked quickly, raising his head to look at Levi with wide eyes. 

“You didn't. But I didn't get a chance to speak with him, yet.” Levi admitted, furrowing his eyebrows slightly. Was Eren concerned for Moblit's safety or was there a different reason for the panic etched on Eren's face? 

Eren nodded and sighed before getting himself untangled from Levi's arms and turned to look at the window. Once he saw the sun steadily rising in the sky, realisation seemed to strike him. “What time are you leaving?” He whispered, now on his back right beside Levi. 

The vampire hesitated and then sat up, turning on the bed to put his shoes back on. “Evaluation is at noon. Erwin and the other veterans will be checking that everything is in place. I have to be there.” After a momentary pause, he turned to Eren, “We're leaving once the sun begins to set.” 

Eren nodded but made no remark. He turned to look at the sun instead. 

Levi had gotten up and began going through his drawer, picking up fresh clothes and a towel. “You know, frankly, I'm impressed,” Eren began and Levi turned to look at him. Eren stretched, his arms over his head, his biceps flexing with the effort and the sheets that were dangerously low on his waist, began sliding down to his hips. Protruding hip bones came to view and Levi turned away sharply. “I've been naked the whole night. Could have been one in a lifetime opportunity.” He pointed out. 

Levi rolled his eyes but made no comment. He began to realize that humour was Eren's defence mechanism; when things began to get tense or Eren wanted to say something that wasn't supposed to be said, he instead turned to humour. Finally, he couldn't resist. “I hardly think so.” He commented. “You'd be willing any time.” He unbuttoned the rest of his shirt and threw it into the wash bin in the corner of his room. 

Eren chuckled, a grin pulling at his lips. His eyes scanned over Levi slowly, paying attention to every little detail. “Probably true.” He admitted with a chuckle. He then raised an eyebrow, “You're making it sound like I'm your personal whore.” He pointed out with a pout. 

Levi was about to close the bathroom door behind him but paused. He gave Eren a small smirk before shrugging once. “My bad.” 

~~*~~*~~

The feeling of loss was funny sometimes. It worked almost as an instinct; Levi wasn't gone yet, but Eren already felt a hole stretching inside his chest, yearning. But walking down the hallway, he knew he had to get rid of the feeling, or, at least act as if he wasn't feeling it at all. 

He received glares and sneers from the other vampires while walking down the hallway, but that was nothing unusual. They might have, even, decreased in number but that was probably due to Armin walking beside him. Armin was often seen around with Hanji, and reviewing Armin's previous comments about Erwin, Eren suspected that Armin managed to gain respect even from the big bad Commander. 

“And this had nothing to do with what we spoke about earlier?” Armin asked him quietly before looking down at his watch. Armin's shift on the wall started in an hour, Eren was informed. It was good for Armin to remain in the Garrison; he had all the intel that Eren was begging for. 

“I still don't feel too well.” Eren admitted silently. “I get headaches and I get dizzy but what happened yesterday had nothing to do with it.” How did he ever get so good at lying? He had so far managed to lie not only to his friends' faces, but also to his mate's. And did it hurt? Yes, of course it did. But through simple logic, he realised that lying would be easier; they all had enough problems as it was. 

“Have you seen a doctor about it?”Armin questioned. 

“I've seen Hanji.” Eren admitted. “But she said it must be due to stress. Or perhaps I'm not eating right.” 

Armin eyed him slowly, pursing his lips. “You do seem to have lost some weight.” 

“You're paranoid.” Eren rolled his eyes. 

“I just care.” Armin replied simply. Eren's eyes widened: that was the problem. Too many people cared about him, and he wasn't sure how to deal with all of it. “But anyway,” Armin started again and Eren was suddenly grateful. “Apparently Mikasa spent a lot of her day with Yuuki, yesterday.” He stated. 

“I never took Mikasa for a kid person.” Eren commented with a shrug. 

“Me neither.” Armin added. “I asked her about it. She said Yuuki kind of reminds her of you.” Eren raised an eyebrow and sighed. 

“I haven't been the best friend, recently.” He admitted. “Gods, I feel awful now. All she ever does is save my ass and care and I'm a shit friend.” 

“Don't say that.” Armin snapped. “You're a great friend, Eren. We understand that things have changed now. Maybe Mikasa doesn't understand what it is like to have a mate... and erm, I can't say I do either, but I understand what it means to you. Some things have changed, and that's fine. Some things didn't, and that's great.” 

“Unless it's your haircut.” Eren murmured and Armin huffed before he shoved at him. 

“You suck, Eren.” Armin murmured and rolled his eyes. 

“I think that's the point, Armin.” Eren wiggled his eyebrows, a grin beginning to pull at his lips. 

Armin stared at him blank-faced for a moment before realisation struck and his eyes widened drastically. “You're disgusting.” He whispered quickly, agape. Eren began laughing silently, the chuckles making his chest vibrate. “Gods, I preferred it when you kept those thoughts to yourself.” He muttered. 

“Sorry. Sorry.” Eren chuckled again as they turned another corner. “It's hard not to make jokes like that when you -” He froze in his words once he saw someone down the hallway, the figure very familiar. Something inside his chest instantly stirred. 

Traitor! You don't want Levi to find out, do you?

“Hey, Armin?” Eren started again. “I just realised I forgot something. Can I meet you later?” He rushed out the words and at first, Armin furrowed his eyebrows but then nodded. 

“I'll see you later, Eren.” 

“Yeah.” His eyes had focused on the target and he immediately followed. 

His morality was calling to him, begging him to stop, pleading him to not do anything drastic but once he saw the vampire turn into a hallway, all those thoughts were pushed away. He needed Levi by his side – Levi was the only thing keeping him sane (as ironic as that was) – and he wouldn't let anybody get in between them. 

Seeing the vampire turn into another hallway, Eren quickly worked out that it was one of the remote ones. Hardly anybody ventured to this part of the building unless they were told to. It was far from any other activity rooms. 

He quickened his step then, his body stiff as to not let his scent pervade the air. His eyes narrowed, his pupils widening and turning a dangerous red under the control of the craving and desire. His nails had slowly but surely elongated, becoming sharp claws which yearned for blood to be spilled.

When the vampire turned another hallway, Eren took his chance and slipped up right behind him. 

He grabbed Moblit's shoulder and shoved him against the nearest wall, the vampire's head banging against the surface with a horrible crack. Eren's forearm shoved at Moblit's throat, the claws on his other hand dancing dangerously close to Moblit's face. “Not one word.” Eren hissed quietly, his teeth slowly elongating into canines, those of a wolf. “Or I might have to make a pretty little cut on your neck.” He ran his nail over Moblit's neck as a demonstration. 

The vampire's body went slack as he nodded, breathing heavily. Eren's eyes cast down to the blade at Moblit's hip and he took a mental note to keep an eye on it. The papers Moblit had been holding were spilled over the hallway floor. 

“I'm gonna make this quick,” Eren snarled. “You tell Levi anything – and I do mean anything – that really happened back at that lab, and I'm going to make sure you won't live another day.” His eyes cast down to Moblit's throat and he frowned as the craving inside of him died down; he wasn't craving vampire blood. “Understood?” 

When Moblit didn't answer but simply stared Eren down with a blank face, Eren growled and shoved harder at his throat, watching as the other vampire struggled to keep his feet on the ground and his hands came up, grabbing at Eren's arm in a desperate attempt to get it off. 

“Understood?” He growled again, harsher this time. 

“Yes.” Moblit managed to choke out and Eren smirked.

“Good.” His eyes scanned over the vampire's face again. “And don't even think about telling anybody about this.” He added quickly, leaning into Moblit's ear. His hot breath sent dreadful shivers down the vampire's back. “After all,” He whispered teasingly. “Who do you think he will believe? You, or his own mate?” 

Eren leaned back and then in a swift motion, stepped away from Moblit and let him ago. Moblit instantly grabbed at his neck, struggling to breath. “What the hell happened to you, Eren?” He breathed out, his eyes wide as he stared at the lycan. 

“Can I help you two?” A voice broke them out of the deadly staring match. Eren felt anger bubble up as he spotted Erwin Smith standing on the other end of the hallway. How long had he been there? 

He watched Erwin cleverly scan the situation, starting at the papers on the floor and ending at a breathless Moblit. There was a spark of intelligence in his eyes, and Eren despised it. When Erwin's eyes came to rest upon him, that spark had quickly changed to dominance, and Eren had to hold back his own anger: that was a challenge. 

“Silly Moblit just tripped.” Eren spoke up instead,a chuckle to his voice. “I was nearby and thought I should help him out.” He then leaned down and began gathering the few papers on the floor. With a swift movement, he handed them to Moblit. “You should really be careful.” He told him, a serious note to his tone. 

Erwin said nothing else as Eren began to walk down the hallway again. Once he was near Erwin, he stopped in his steps. “Aren't you busy, Commander?” He asked, a curious note to his voice. “I would think you and my mate have a lot of work to get through. You wouldn't be keeping him away otherwise, right?” He dared to look up at Erwin once he finished. 

But there was no emotion in Erwin's gaze and his face was completely impassive. “That's correct.” He replied simply. “But I do understand your concern.” He added after a pause. Eren nodded and continued walking down the hallway. “After all, you wouldn't want any lies between you and Levi, isn't that correct?” 

Eren didn't show that the statement had affected him, but even something as simple as Erwin calling Levi by his name had his blood pumping harder around his body. “Of course.” He called back simply, not bothering to turn around. “I wish you luck will all your work, Commander.” 

~~*~~*~~

It felt good to immerse yourself in work. Levi had always enjoyed it and even now, when he was longing to be by Eren's side, he couldn't deny that the meaningful duties Erwin had him doing were sort of rehabilitative. 

He looked up again, his eyes darting over the soldier standing in front of him. His eyes narrowed as he paid attention to the details. He reached forward and grabbed the reins of the soldier's horse, pulling forward slightly. The horse stepped forward and Levi reach up, yanking at the bags atop his back. They fell off with ease. “Tighten the locks. Make sure the horse is comfortable, but unfortunately, the gas comes first.” He muttered to the soldier, who saluted and quickly began to work on the task. 

Levi ticked off another name and moved on. The same routine. 

When he looked up, his eyes met with someone familiar. “Marco.” He found himself saying and almost – almost - smiling. He had become familiar with the soldier and while Levi never bothered to even talk to new recruits, he was quite fond of Marco. 

“Corporal Levi.” Marco saluted him quickly and Levi raised an eyebrow. Truthfully, he was getting slightly bored of the routine. Names and faces had begun to blur together. 

“I figured you would be staying back.” Levi spoke up. He actually hadn't considered it before, but now that he said it, the point seemed valid. 

“Why would I?” Marco questioned him, his eyebrows furrowing with confusion. His eyes widened slightly and he quickly chirped a 'sir' to add to his sentence. 

“We can't really, physically force you to go. Younger soldiers usually stay behind with their mates.” Levi pointed out, checking the reins and the bags on the horse. “Of course, not everybody finds a mate by the time they join, but those that do, usually don't partake in the expeditions.” He added. 

Marco seemed to suddenly get uncomfortable. “I joined to help humanity.” He finally said. “I want to be out there; Jean understands.” 

Levi hummed low. “Don't get killed.” He spoke, his voice quiet. “I don't think he will understand it if you do.” He cleared his throat and ticked off Marco's name. “Now get the hell out of here.” He added, the corner of his lips pulling up. 

Marco grinned and saluted him again. “Thank you, sir.” He chirped and then he was off, leading his horse right behind him. 

“You know, when I first saw you, I wasn't sure what to think.” Levi turned, frowning as he saw Erwin coming towards him. “But I think I understand now: you're like a Venus fly trap. The mere idea of you seems dangerous, and yet you still manage to attract people.” Erwin shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. “It might be to do with your looks, of course. But the thing is Levi – just like a Venus fly trap – you're only lethal to some things.” 

“That was a very shit comparison.” Levi pointed out before turning back around and looking back down to the list. 

“Well, I never called myself a poet.” Erwin admitted. 

“Did we just find something Erwin Smith isn't good at?” Levi shot back. “Why the hell are you in such a good mood anyway? Does the thought of innocent lives being lost excite you?” 

“No, but the idea of discovering what is happening outside these damn walls, does.” Erwin commented with ease. “I've come across your mate before I got here.” 

Levi tensed slightly and turned to look at Erwin. “What the hell did you want with Eren?” He snapped and then tried to relax. Erwin was no threat to his mate. 

“Well, I didn't do anything. But I was under the impression he wanted to chew my head off.” 

“Can you blame him?” Levi muttered back, turning away from Erwin again. “When you go around comparing me to some damn Venus flowers, he's obviously not going to be very happy.” 

“Levi, how much do you know about Eren?” The question came suddenly and Levi tensed yet again, the Etch in him already making his chest burn up at the possible offence that Erwin implied through his tone. 

“I know enough.” He snapped irritably. “Why the fuck do you care?” 

Erwin seemed to remain silent for a moment, almost pondering on his answer. Finally, he spoke, “No reason at all.” He said clearly. “I was just curious.” He added after a pause. His eyes then strayed and looked over the soldiers still left to be examined. “We should get to work.” 

~~*~~*~~

“Eren, are you in there?” There was a soft knock on the door and Eren looked up slowly, his head rising from resting on his knees. He had been curled up on the bed, trying to get rid of the craving crawling up his spine; his head continued to spin with the consequences all of this was going to bring. 

“Yeah, come in.” He called and then cleared his throat, finding it croaky. 

When Marco opened the door, he seemed hesitant. He carefully looked around the room – though he had gotten a brief glance before – and then proceeded forward, walking in and closing the door behind himself. He breathed out a large breath and scanned the room slowly. “So it's true.” He murmured. 

Eren furrowed his eyebrows, sitting up on the bed and focusing on Marco. “What is?” 

“Corporal Levi really does like things clean.” 

“You should have seen the place before I got here.” Eren managed to pull up a small smirk. “Besides, considering all the cleaning shifts, I'm surprised you're only finding this out now.” He shrugged and looked away. “Aren't you supposed to be at the Evaluation?”

“Already done.” Marco smiled at him and came closer. “I figured I'd come see you.” He shrugged slightly. “It must get annoying being in a building full of vampires.” 

“It's bearable.” Eren commented. His eyes strayed from Marco again; Marco was such a good person, and it purely annoyed him. Once, Eren valued morality and would have gladly called himself honourable. Now, he wasn't sure after everything he had done recently. But that was the problem with it all: he couldn't stop it. “Hey, Marco?” He started hesitantly, his voice low. 

Marco hummed to show he was listening. He had become more comfortable now and he stopped by the window before pulling the blinds down. He visibly relaxed once the sun rays were hidden. 

“Do you believe in bad people?” 

The question seemed to take Marco off guard. He tensed and his eyebrows furrowed. “Why do you ask?”

“Do you?” Eren pressed on. 

It took Marco a good moment to think about his answer and Eren waited patiently. “No.” The answer clearly came. 

Eren sneered, “Then you're a fool.” He muttered. 

Marco frowned further and then came forward. He seemed hesitant at first but then came even closer and sat down on one edge of the bed. “No, hear me out.” Marco began, his voice confident. “Yes, certain people do bad things, but they either have reasons to do them or are pressurised into doing them.”

“Have a go then,” Eren started, his tone doubtful. “Justify murder.” 

“I can't justify it.” Marco told him instantly. “But I can perhaps understand it.” He added and Eren raised an eyebrow. “And, can we call them bad if they believe that what they are doing is right? Can we blame them for the fact that their morals are different?” 

Morals, there was that word again. Eren had begun to doubt he had any left. “Yes.” He insisted bitterly. “How about Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt? Would you say they're not bad people?” 

Marco furrowed his eyebrows and looked away. “They're not.” He admitted. Eren's eyes widened. “I've read the files, Eren. Even your confession; Corporal Levi reported it, after all.” Marco looked up at him. “If their families somehow enforced whatever it was your father did on them, then how could they be blamed for their crimes? Perhaps we should blame their families, but then, they only wanted the best. And we can't blame your father; he thought he was saving them.” 

“How do you explain them breaking down the wall?” Eren snapped. 

“Revenge, I would say. But they most likely believe it is the right thing. Revenge can be funny that way.” 

“And killing all those innocent people?” 

“Simply a part of the bigger plan for revenge.” 

“And what about lying to everyone? What about killing the trust of the people around you? What about being selfish?” Eren snapped question after question, his voice betraying perhaps too much emotion. 

Marco furrowed his eyebrows; he too, had clearly realised they weren't speaking about the intruders any more. “I call that being human and making mistakes.” He answered softly. 

“Really?” Eren questioned, doubtfully. 

Marco nodded. “We all make mistakes. The important part is that we try to fix them.” 

“What if you can't fix them?” 

“Then you're not trying.” 

Eren let the words sink in because – as much as he hated to admit it – they hit right where it hurt. They were completely true; Marco was completely right. Eren hadn't tried to fix any of his mistakes. All he did so far had been sulk about them. But fixing the mistakes he had made was easier said than done. 

“Eren, you know that if anything is wrong, you can -” 

“Are we having a tea party in my room?” They both looked up and Marco immediately jumped up from the bed, his body tensing at Levi's presence. Levi raised an eyebrow. “And I wasn't invited?” Eren seemed to relax further into the bed now that Levi's smell and presence washed over the room. 

Eren and Marco spoke at the same time. “No, sir, we just -” “We don't have tea.” 

Levi seemed to huff with exaggeration and then nodded once to Marco, his eyes motioning towards the door. Marco quickly got the hint and hurried out the door, keeping his eyes on the ground the whole time. 

“You scared the crap out of him.” Eren pointed out. 

“I kind of like it.” Levi admitted, shrugging non-committally. “For people to scatter when I come their way.” 

“Is it a confidence boost?” Eren joked. 

“Obliviously.” Levi sneered. “Have you been lying around here ever since the morning?” He spoke up, taking off his jacket and neatly hanging it on a chair before he proceeded to roll up the sleeves of his white shirt. 

No, I managed to somehow have a heart-to-heart with Marco, threatened Moblit and oh yeah, had some breakfast with Armin. Eren pursed his lips at the thoughts in his head. “Well, I did get up at some point.” He admitted. “I watched some of the indoor 3DMG training session, too.” He added honestly. 

Something sparkled in Levi's eyes. “When I come back,” He started and Eren immediately rolled his eyes. 

“If, you come back...” 

“When I come back,” Levi ignored him and started the sentence again. “We'll go for some test runs with the 3DMG. How does that sound?” 

Eren smiled, his chest tightening with how considerate Levi really was. “Pretty good.” He muttered. “How did the Evaluation go?” 

Levi rolled his eyes while he poured himself a drink. “Same as usual. Some soldiers have no sense of hygiene. Some can't fucking tie properly. And some are fine.” He shrugged and paused, taking a sip of the red liquid. “Erwin was creepy, your friend Marco was stupidly brave and I was bored as fuck.” 

Eren had too many questions. “Come again?” 

Levi raised an eyebrow. “Which bit?”

“All of it.” 

“I hardly think you need me to tell you what Erwin is up to these days. There's no use in bringing your blood pressure up, kid.” Levi smirked. “And I thought Marco would be staying back with his mate; apparently not.” 

“Aren't you allowed to do that?” Eren quickly piped in at the opportunity. 

“Of course I'm allowed.” Levi murmured uncomfortably. “Don't put me on the spot, Eren.” He spoke once he saw the look Eren was giving him. “I would do anything for you, but my ambition was always to help humanity. There is going to be losses, Eren – I'm just trying to help decrease them.” 

Levi was right; Eren was selfish again. Levi was an amazing soldier. Without him there, more lives would be lost and all of it would happen because Eren wanted to keep his mate close. Levi would never forgive him; and Eren would never forgive himself. 

“I know.” He managed to reply quietly. 

Levi put down the empty glass and sighed, leaning on the table for a moment before he straightener and walked over to the bed. He sat down right in front of Eren, those storm-coloured eyes set upon the lycan. “I've been thinking about something that you said yesterday...” Levi started slowly. 

Eren's eyes widened. “I was out of it. Don't take any of it seriously.” 

“No, you were right.” Levi pressed. “We've taken it extremely slow as it is and you deserve better than me hesitating along every step.” He reached into his pocket and grabbed Eren's hand. Eren's eyes widened once Levi slipped a gold band over his finger and paused, still holding his hand. “And we'll make it official when I come back, but I want you to have this now.” 

“Really?” Eren's voice seemed to fail him. 

“The very day that I come back.” Levi promised. “Unless, you know, I collapse from exhaustion. That could be problematic.” He added with a shrug. “And, erm, I've never thought about it either but, erm...” He started and frowned. Eren smiled at the sight of Levi flustered. “Apparently, I mean, I don't know anything so...but, erm, apparently, I hear that blood-bonding is quite important.” He paused, looking away. “So, like, if you wanted to, I guess it wouldn't, you know, be like, that bad to, you know, do that...” He finished and Eren laughed softly. 

“You're adorable.” He commented with a grin. Levi frowned, pursing his lips but Eren had already reached forward, his hand grabbing Levi's cravat and pulling him forward into a soft kiss. 

When they did pull away, Levi instantly slapped at his hand. “You'll crease it.” He warned and then rolled his eyes. “Adorable is a shitty word.” He stated. 

“It's adorable of you to say that.” 

“Eren, stop it.” Levi whined. 

“That was completely adorable.” Eren added in a giggle. The reality of it all seemed to hit him then. “Are you sure?” He asked suddenly. “I mean, you have the whole damn eternity, Levi. You don't need to get yourself tied to me like this.”

“I'm sure.” Levi told him seriously. “Who the hell wants to stay here for all eternity anyway?” He added with a small smile. 

Eren couldn't help but grin before his face became serious. “I love you.” He whispered. 

“Good.” 

Eren's mouth dropped agape and he shoved at the vampire. “Jerk!” 

Levi chuckled, and Eren could swear there was a light, crimson blush lighting up the vampire's cheeks. “I love you too.” He murmured. And in that moment, Eren knew he had to fix this. He couldn't lose Levi; he had to find a way to fix everything – no matter what it took. 

~~*~~*~~

Levi had never dreaded a sunset so much in his life. 

The sun was quickly lowering, and the headquarters had become lively and crowded, as soldiers walked through the hallways; some laughed and cheered – the idiots, Levi called them – while others were about ready to burst into tears. 

Levi tried to keep himself mid-way between the two extremes. Happiness was not an option; they were going into the battlefield, not a damn vacation. But tears were an exaggeration for him, though, for some soldiers this would be their first expedition – he, therefore, let it slide without a comment. 

Everything seemed to happen faster than it should have. One moment he was walking in the hallway, Hanji and Mike beside him, murmuring sweet nothings into each other's ear while Eren tried to keep up, an uncomfortable expression on his face. That expression didn't disappear ever since the alarms started blaring, telling them to get ready. 

Then, he was on his horse and looking around, his eyes cleverly scanning out for any details that weren't up to a standard they expected. But then they were riding through the cities, Eren sat behind him, his arms wrapped tightly around Levi's waist, his face hidden in Levi's shoulder – hidden from the ecstatic screams and yells of the public while they rode through. 

Eren had murmured a quiet 'love you' into his shoulder at some point, probably thinking that Levi wouldn't hear him. But over all these screams, Eren's voice was the only he heard. 

“It's kind of funny,” Eren whispered by his ear and Levi shuddered at the hot breath on his skin. 

“What is?” 

“All those people cheering.” One of Eren's hands had begun a comforting manoeuvre of drawing meaningless shapes onto the side of Levi's waist. “I was one of them.” 

“Look at you now,” Levi whispered in return. “Maybe one of those days, you'll ride out of these gates with us.” 

“Maybe.” But there was a doubtful tone to his voice, and Levi understood. Things weren't going to change any time soon. 

And then they were at the gates, and Eren's arms around him had tightened. Beside Levi, Hanji sent them a look full of pity and then reached down, grabbing Mike's hand – it had become a ritual of sorts. 

“I wish I could come with you.” Eren murmured. 

“I don't.” Levi told him firmly. “I can't be out there, worrying for your safety. If you're here, at least I know you're safe.” He paused, his eyes focusing on Erwin not far in front of them. “You'll come with me, one of those days, when we figure out how to beat it all. When everything is safe.” Levi turned slightly, his eyes catching Eren's teal-green orbs. “We'll leave and we'll travel; fuck staying in one place.” 

Eren smiled lightly. “I like the sound of that..” He admitted silently. 

Erwin turned and gave Levi the look that pained the latter the most. It was time. “Don't do anything stupid until I come back.” Levi told Eren. 

“Until you come back.” Eren repeated, as if making sure himself that Levi was, in fact, going to come back. “I'll try.” Eren promised and his arms unwrapped from Levi's waist. Levi turned just in time for Eren to grab his face and kiss him, kiss him like his life depended on it. He turned further into the kiss, longing for his mate's touch; but soon, Eren was pulling away and sliding down from the horse. “You promise?” 

“I promise.” 

Eren smiled and nodded. Levi's promises were valued above everything. “I love you.” 

“I love you too.” 

It was painful to watch Eren turn around and walk away, so Levi turned to the front instead. The bells had began to ring; the gates were opening. Erwin was saying something, but Levi was used to the routine and there was a sudden echoing, faint sound ringing in his ears, different to the bells. 

And then they were going forward, and Levi turned around once, just to get a last glimpse at Eren while he could. A dark-furred wolf stared back at him from one of the sidelines; Eren's teal-green orbs saw right through his façade. 

Then they were running out into the streets, one long line of soldiers on their horses. Levi kept his gaze ahead, afraid to look at the bloodshed they've already entered. 

The expedition had began. 

And in the distance, he heard a howl; the last, sad plead from his lover: stay alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, chapters will come very erratically now. Like, I write whenever I can between all my school work so now promises. They should still be weekly, though? But, for now, I hope you enjoyed the 6K of meaningless words. I didn't realise I had written so much before I checked the word count...  
> Now, for some analysis: I'm not sure I make those things clear. I guess I imply them, but not fully state them. I know the characters are not acting very canon. Well, the side-characters do, I would hope. And I know Eren is completely independent and strong, but things are changing because - obviously - we have the Etch working to bring them closer together and love does change people, but we also have the side-effects of the immunity taking effect. You have to understand that around Levi, all those things disappear - the Etch is equivalent to the strongest love you can feel. So of course he would want to spend 24/7 by Levi's side. And yeah, he's Eren, so he's obviously trying to make it sound like everything is okay and there is nothing wrong with him. And yeah, Eren is usually a passionate person, but the bit with Moblit was supposed to be there to show how desperate he is to keep Levi around and just how quickly he's losing control of his sanity. Eren my baby, ugh.  
> And yeah, it's obviously changing Levi too. Like, he wants the best for Eren and is protective of him.  
> This chapter was originally supposed to be the expedition but once again, the words said 'fuck this you're not the boss.'  
> Sorry for the long ass note. Hope you guys had a good week?  
> You can track any updates on the story under the tag fic: etch on tumblr.  
> Tumblr: [surveycorpscastiel](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)  
> Thanks for reading!


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lycan had jumped from a roof to attack him and was now dropping at full speed towards Levi, claws ready to rip into skin, teeth snarling to bite into any flesh that they could. And Levi's blades weren't even in place.

“So, how does the whole mate thing work anyway?” Yuuki piped up curiously, his eyebrows furrowing. He pulled his arm back and threw the ball towards Eren, the ball coming with steady speed now. 

Eren caught it and raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking me out of all people to give you the birds and the bees talk?” He chuckled. 

“No!” Yuuki immediately exclaimed and even from the distance he was standing, Eren could see his cheeks turning a crimson red. “I didn't mean that!” He added quickly, spluttering as he almost missed the ball Eren threw at him. “I meant like, how do you know? How does it happen?” 

“It just happens.” Eren shrugged, not finding the right words. “You'll know when it does.” He added after a pause, continuing the steady back and forth journey of the ball between them. It was calming, somehow. 

“Do you know the person is your mate when you meet them?” 

“No.” Eren answered. “The Etch can kick in at any time. Your mate could be someone you've known for ever.” His eyes moved slightly to follow Midnight running around them in a large circle, happily and silently barking to herself. 

Yuuki's face scrunched up. “All the people I met are idiots.” He murmured and Eren laughed half-heartedly, smiling fondly. 

“Well, then you better pray for a miracle.” He commented to which Yuuki rolled his eyes. 

They continued the game in silence for the next few minutes, before Yuuki spoke up again. “Are you worried?” 

Eren had been trying to keep it off his mind. He had managed a full hour of running around and worrying before he came back to the empty vampire base and found Yuuki there, waiting for him. Apparently, Mikasa had told Yuuki that Eren would need company. 

“Yeah.” He sighed in a reply. “I can't help it.” 

“He's the best, you know.” Yuuki piped up with a smile. 

“I know.” Eren agreed. “But that doesn't stop me worrying.” 

Yuuki nodded silently as they continued the game. 

“Hey, Eren?” Eren paused in the throw and looked up. “You're not busy right? Cause, like, you didn't seem to have a problem shifting, and like, it looked as if you were ready to do it from the second you saw her,” Yuuki stuttered, his sky blue orbs focused on the ground. “And it took me a while to shift and actually be ready, so... I thought you could help me?” 

Eren considered for a moment before he frowned. “I'm not really qualified to teach anybody anything.” He murmured. Yuuki looked up at him, large, hopeful eyes pleading Eren. If he didn't know better, he would say that Yuuki knew perfectly what he was doing; those huge light blue eyes made it impossible to say no. “Fine.” He finally murmured. 

Yuuki grinned and put the ball on the ground. “Okay!” He exclaimed, shaking out his body. “What do I do?” 

Eren gaped at him. “Erm,” He started, trying to think of his words carefully. “Well, it's different for every person.” He said hopefully. 

Yuuki raised an eyebrow. “Well, what do you do?” 

“I get a clear goal in my head.” Eren answered him. “I tell myself exactly what I need to do and I know I need to be shifted to accomplish that goal.” 

“Is that all?” 

“There's no trick to it.” Eren replied with a shrug. “Shifting comes naturally over time. It's an instinct.” 

“Well, my instinct isn't working.” Yuuki replied blankly. 

Eren narrowed his eyes slightly before he walked over to Yuuki and bent down to grab the ball. “Okay.” He murmured. He pulled his arm back and threw the ball a distance away. “Get the ball.” Midnight's head popped up to follow the ball but as she turned to look at Eren for permission, he shook his head and her ears drooped before she continued sniffing around. 

“Are we really playing fetch?” 

“Get the ball.” Yuuki began walking towards the ball but Eren stopped him. “As a wolf.” He added and Yuuki's eyes widened. 

“That's a stupid goal.” Yuuki muttered. 

“How fast are you in your wolf form?” Eren asked instead. 

“Really fast.” Yuuki replied smugly. “One of my many good qualities.” 

Eren chuckled. “Fine.” He muttered. “If you can get to the ball faster than I can, we get ice cream later. If I get there first, you're doing the dishes back at the Survey Corps headquarters.” 

“That's not fair!” Yuuki immediately exclaimed. 

“Are you scared that you can't shift quick enough?” Eren teased. 

“Of course I can!” Yuuki spluttered. “But you're bigger and you have longer legs!” 

“I'll give you a second head start.” 

“A second?!” 

“Yup.” 

“Fine.” Yuuki snapped and turned in the direction the ball went. “You're so buying ice cream.” He murmured while his eyes scanned over the grass quickly, trying to find the ball. 

“Ready?” Eren muttered. 

Yuuki tensed and then nodded. “Go!” He exclaimed and then he was shifting mid-run and Eren was so impressed for a moment that he forgot to count. He quickly threw himself into a run and then let his body shift, his wolf almost howling happily at the freedom. 

He was already gaining on Yuuki when a sudden wave of pain crashed into his chest and his breath was knocked out of him. He wavered in his run, shaking his head and trying to shake off the pain that suddenly took over his whole body. 

When Yuuki happily reached the ball, Eren had stopped, his head hanging down and his breaths heavy. The pain was spreading quickly, like fire touching his skin and he whimpered lightly, trying to keep himself together. Why was this happening? 

Yuuki whimpered lightly and Midnight barked, reaching Eren, her little paws leaning on his own. Her tongue stuck out, her emerald eyes watching him carefully. 

Eren kept it together and looked up, giving out a half-growl which told Yuuki that the younger had won. Yuuki grabbed the ball between his teeth, his ears perking up happily, tail wagging. He blinked, his eyes conveying a message that Eren understood and then Yuuki was off, running forward. 

Eren remained in his place for a moment longer, trying to get his body under control. Levi, think about Levi. He calmed down slowly and once the pain had become bearable, he nudged Midnight with his nose and set off running after Yuuki, Midnight trying to keep up with her little paws. 

~~*~~*~~

“Keep going! Don't stray from the street!” Levi's yell was hardly audible over the horrendous growls and wails. The sun had set an hour or so ago, and the streets were filling with vampire Rogues coming out of their hiding. 

He expected it to be bad, but not this bad. Blood filled the streets, cascaded down them like a river, and freshly rotting bodies littered the streets; the smell was revolting. The Rogues seemed to be around every corner, drawn towards them, hungry for flesh. It didn't take long for them to approach, but Erwin insisted they keep moving forward until a fight was unavoidable. 

Levi cast a glance back, slowing down slightly as to get his horse to run alongside one of the carts. His gun aimed at a nearby lycan and he shot, slowing the beast down for now. He turned, aiming and shooting at another nearing the cart. The carts held both their supplies as well as gas; without gas, there was no guarantee they would survive. This was different. 

The squads couldn't just go off and kill any Rogues that were attracted. Buildings could be easily scaled, so they wouldn't hold the same protection that trees did. Instead, half of the squads was directed to be back-ups to the other half. While half fought in the battle, the other half made sure their horses were available at any time. 

Swinging between the buildings was just as challenging as swinging between a forest, but landing was not an option here. 

He shot again and heard the quick click go off. He immediately reloaded, quickly putting the bullets in before he shot at another one. His eyes narrowed at a Rogue vampire running on a rooftop ahead; he aimed at its head and shot, bringing it down temporarily. 

The plan was to reach the old military quarters. There, they could barricade themselves in and refill any supplies they would need. It wasn't as good as their own old headquarters would have been, but Levi remembered that the building had burned down. 

He blinked, looking ahead, his vision changing to accustom the darkness that had fallen over them. They had to make the quarters by sunrise. 

An orange flare shot out into the sky and Levi set up, looking around carefully. Every now and then, when the amount of Rogues became overwhelming, Erwin sent out an orange flare. It told the squads to engage. 

Levi whistled loudly, catching Erd's attention. “Let's go!” Erd gave him a nod and whistled in the other direction, Petra's head turning to look at him. Gunther was right behind her. 

Levi shot out, leaving his horse behind, hoping one of the other soldiers would do their job properly. The hooks latched onto a building and then he was in the air, swinging through between two buildings before landing on a roof. He ran over the rooftop, his eyes narrowing and hands tensing around his blades. 

The moment a Rogue vampire scaled the edge just before him, Levi was there. He flipped over the vampire, his hooks catching into the opposite wall. He then pushed off the said wall and shoved his silver blades through the vampire's back. 

It screeched, flailing, trying to get away. He pulled them out harshly and blood began to spill as the Rogue dropped back to the ground, dead. 

Levi got back on the rooftop, seeing he fell behind. He shot out into the air again, swinging on building after building before he was above the formation again. 

He dipped lower to the ground, his blades easily skimming the nape of a Rogue lycan that had been following. He spun in the air, avoiding the snarling muzzle of yet another wolf before he turned and his blades sunk into its weak spot. 

It was a routine. 

He didn't know how many Rogues he killed. He had quickly lost count. His clothes were covered with fresh blood and he was down to his last pair of sharp blades when a green flare was shot out into the sky. 

He immediately spotted his horse amongst the formation and shot out to land before them. The horses ran past him, wind blowing his green cloak back. He put his hand out, grabbing the reins of his horse when it ran past. The force pulled his body off the ground and he immediately turned, aligning it into the saddle. 

He looked around for a moment; there were less Rogues for now. But it wouldn't last for long; there were still hours to go before sunrise. 

~~*~~*~~

“Armin? What the fuck are you doing here?” His breath was knocked out of him once he spotted Armin standing in the middle of Hanji's lab. He looked down at his own hands; he hadn't even realised he was walking towards this place. 

“Hanji said I can come in any time.” Armin explained, pulling the goggles up from his face. “What are you doing here? The building is almost empty.” He shot back. Giving Eren a quick scan, he raised an eyebrow. “And what the hell are you wearing?” 

Eren instantly felt the blush creep up his cheeks. After coming back from ice cream with Yuuki, he had dropped Yuuki off at his own room for a nap. Then, he made his way back to Levi's room but once he was there, he couldn't take the constant worrying feeling in his stomach. Levi's smell, clearly, helped and that was perhaps while Eren was currently wearing one of Levi's green Survey Corps cloaks. 

“It's cool.” He shot back. His eyes slowly scanned over the place but when he found no attracting scent, he visibly relaxed. There was no Rogue blood in Hanji's lab. “What are you doing?” He asked instead, figuring he might as well bother Armin. 

“Hanji started working on something, and I was just trying to see if I could help.” He shrugged slightly, frowning suddenly. “I've read a lot about it, but I don't think we have the equipment to stabilize it.” 

“To do what on what?” Eren raised an eyebrow and Armin rolled his eyes. 

“I'll explain, so make sure to actually listen,” Armin teased. “It's silver nitrate. We were trying to come up with easier ways to kill lycans.” Armin admitted uncomfortably. “The nape is the only weak spot, and that's a task that is almost unachievable during expeditions. They use guns, but even silver bullets don't hold a large enough ratio to do real damage.” Armin looked down at the different things on top of the table. “Silver works better in liquid form.” He waved Eren over. 

Eren stepped around the counter, avoiding any health hazards along the way. He looked down at a small dish before him. 

“But it's not like they can just throw liquid silver at the lycans.” Armin shrugged lightly. “So, I was thinking that the liquid silver nitrate could be input into a silver bullet with a very thin surface. Once the bullet collides and gets into a lycans body, the surface would break and the liquid could work.” Armin huffed, running a hand through his hair. “But making a bullet to do something like that would be impossible.” 

Eren was still partly confused about the details, but he shrugged slightly in reply. “Well, if there's anyone who can do it, it's you and Hanji.” He pointed out to which Armin smiled softly. “You're both massive nerds.” Armin's smile broke and he shoved at Eren. 

Eren laughed and watched as Armin returned to work. His eyes cast back to the silver; perhaps it was a good thing that it wad being developed. After all, if Eren did lose control, he could be comforted by the thought of being taken down by a single bullet. 

~~*~~*~~

The doors banged shut and were immediately being barricaded multiple times. Levi ordered another squad into a different part of the building and he could hear dying Rogue wails as he did. There were Rogues inside the building, and before they could fully make themselves comfortable, they had to get rid of each and every one. 

Another squad had begun putting up sleeping bags and food in the largest room. Two others were sent out to barricade any other windows and entrances. Levi waved over Petra and Gunther before making their way down a hallway. 

He kicked open one of the door and shot at the lycan he found inside. The lycan howled in pain and, momentarily distracted, allowed Levi to cut him down with ease. The window shattered as a Rogue vampire made her way in and Levi exchanged a look with the other two soldiers. 

They began to circle the vampire who was momentarily off guard, choosing who to attack. The moment it lunged for Petra, Gunther and Levi spun at the same time, cutting at it's legs and bringing it to the ground. Then, they both shoved their feet on its shoulders while Petra stepped forward, her silver blade plunging into the vampire's chest. 

Levi saw the momentary pain fill Petra's eyes before she blinked and it was gone, but he offered her a comforting nod anyway. He called to another squad to barricade the window while they continued down the hallway. 

Once everything seemed to be barricaded and shifts were set, they gathered inside the largest room; cafeteria. They had shoved all the tables up against the walls or used them to barricade the doors. The horses had been led into the stables where the door had been barricaded and soldiers were put on guard. The horses wouldn't be the primary targets. 

Chatter quickly filled up the room as lamps were lit and blood was brought back. Levi thought he even heard laughter at some point. 

He himself stayed away, his back against a wall, his blades by his side if anything was to happen. He sighed and leaned his head back to rest against the wall, his eyes momentarily closing; he had gotten even less sleep than usual. 

“So, was that fun or what?” Hanji's body crashed down next to him and he groaned, clenching his eyes tighter before he opened them and looked up at her. She gave him a toothy grin, white teeth stained red with the blood she was currently drinking. “I'm kidding. Don't pop a blood vessel.” She rolled her eyes, turning to look at Mike and engaging him into conversation. 

Levi relaxed back again, but soon, Petra, Gunther and Erd had joined, sitting down around them. Before long, Moblit was sitting down too and it all seemed as if they weren't in the middle of a territory filled with lycans. 

“I forgot to ask,” Levi lazily drawled and silence fell instantly. His eyes opened and he looked at Moblit, “What happened with Eren?” 

Moblit's eyes widened for a moment and his body tensed. Levi raised an eyebrow at the movement. “It was nothing.” Moblit answered. 

Beside Levi, Hanji frowned and leaned forward. “Didn't you tell me that - “ 

“I came in, and he was clearly panicking. I didn't really get to say anything before he was shifting and running out the door.” Moblit interrupted her in a very un-Moblit-like fashion and finished his explanation quickly. “Nothing else happened.” He added firmly. Hanji looked as if she was about to say something else, but her mouth closed and she gave up. 

Levi wasn't put off so easily. He said nothing in return, but he focused on the sound in the room; Moblit's heartbeat had picked up. He was clearly lying, and he wasn't doing it well. But now was not the time to confront him about it. 

“I'll go stand on guard.” Levi spoke instead. Then, he was picking up his blades and moving away from his circle of friends, ignoring Hanji's quip about it being not his scheduled time. 

~~*~~*~~

When he came back, he had a quick drink and then made his way to the sleeping bags. The sun was coming up now, which meant the chatter had died down to complete silence as most of the soldiers slept. There were still few on guard, but now that the sun had risen, the vampire Rogues would be going into hiding. 

He walked past Erwin, sitting at a small desk and looking over a map. Not feeling like another conversation with the Commander, Levi continued walking. When he got to his neatly formed sleeping bag, Hanji perked up beside him. “Why the sour mood?” She whispered. 

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have a sour mood.” Levi hissed back, sitting down. “Look around you: look at the people we've lost already.” Levi sighed, eyebrows furrowing. “And we'll lose even more on the way back.” 

Hanji nodded silently. “I see the losses.” She admitted. “But I can't do anything about them.” She added. 

“Exactly.” Levi agreed. “We have completely no control over what happens next.” 

“And you're afraid you won't make it back to Eren.” 

Levi turned to look at her sharply. He said nothing for a moment, his eyes simply meeting hers. But then, he gave her a soft, small nod. 

“That's not something you should be ashamed to admit.” She pointed out, now fully sitting up to mirror his pose. 

“I'm not.” Levi told her. “I fucking miss him, okay. Every time I stab my blade into a wolf, I think of Eren. And I hate it; I'm not supposed to be thinking about it at a time like this.” 

Hanji grinned. “Ah,” She hummed. “Young love.” She laughed as Levi shoved at her. 

“Fuck off.” He snapped. 

“Mike and I were exactly the same.” Hanji shrugged slightly, a small smile coming up on her lips. She turned her head slightly, seeing Mike sleeping in the sleeping bag beside her. “And now we're like an old married couple.” 

“You are an old married couple.” Levi pointed out with a roll of his eyes. “And you're blood-bound. That's different.” A sudden realisation struck him, at the promise he had made Eren before he left. 

“True,” Hanji agreed with a shrug. “But it passes and becomes natural over time. You'll stop seeing where it begins and ends; it turns into a natural cycle.” 

“I have to ask you something.” Levi suddenly spoke up. 

Hanji raised an eyebrow. “Oh Gods.” She huffed. “Levi, I'm not going to give you the birds and the bees talk.” 

“Shut up.” He snapped impatiently, rolling his eyes. “Fine. Whatever. I needed somebody to perform the blood-bonding ceremony, but if you're going to be a bitch about it then - 

“Oh my fucking Gods, Levi! That is amazing!” Hanji's voice had risen much higher than it should have and she was immediately shushed by everyone around her. “Oh my Gods!” She continued repeating under her breath, slapping at Levi's leg continuously and with every word. “I can't believe it!” She added after she was done and Levi huffed, impatient. “A-are you sure you want me to?” 

“Regretting the choice more and more with each passing second.” 

“That wasn't a rejection!” Hanji grinned happily, doing a small dance while she was sitting down. “I would be honoured to, Levi.” She grinned, leaning forward and messing up his hair. “My little boy growing up.” 

“Cut it out already.” He muttered. “I don't even know how the hell is works.” 

“I'll sort out all the details!” She assured him quickly. “Do you want to do it the day we come back?” She asked excitedly. 

“It would be best, yes.” He murmured in a reply. 

Hanji became serious for a moment. “And you're completely sure?” She asked him. “It's not the same as Mike and I. You and Eren have more consequences.” 

And she was right. Blood-bonding with Eren was going to be different. After all, Levi was set to live for an eternity whereas Eren wasn't. Blood-bonding would start up Levi's ageing again but it would also minimally prolong Eren's life. Together, they would probably end up living to around a hundred. 

But Levi also remembered a few others rumours; lycan mates, for example, could communicate without words when they were blood-bound and he wondered if it worked for vampires and lycans. And he would be closer to Eren; whenever one was uneasy, the other would feel it. When one was sad, the other would know. Surely, that could only bring them closer. 

But there was the threat. If Levi was hurt after the ritual, Eren would be hurt too. This would make expeditions tedious. 

“I'm completely sure.” He finally told Hanji. “I want this. Eren wants this. We both want it.” 

Hanji smiled and nodded. “Good.” She then grinned and clapped her hands. “I can't wait to go back now!” 

~~*~~*~~

The day passed quickly, and Levi wasn't sure whether he was happy about it or not. Before long, panic had arisen again as all the soldiers began rushing there and back. He spotted Erwin at some point and remembered that the Commander had been up half the day writing down notes; Levi supposed Erwin had enough material from this expedition.

Levi changed his blades and then they were mounting their horses. They stood there as silence fell over the whole regimen, awaiting for the doors to open. The last sun rays were disappearing, and night was approaching fast. Levi tensed slightly; they should get to the walls at around 2AM. He was yearning to curl up in bed with his mate, his arms wrapped tightly around Eren's body, Eren's warmth spreading to his own limbs. 

The doors were open now as the last soldiers mounted their horses, and Erwin was simply waiting for the right time. As if on cue, there was a massive bang against the door, followed by scratches against the wood. Levi carefully watched Erwin's shoulders tense, hands clenching over the reins of his white horse. 

The door burst open and two snarling wolves stood in their way. They growled and then tensed, leaning close to the ground, ready to pounce and attack. 

But Erwin was already moving, and beside him, Mike had taken up his position, both of their blades drawn. It was a quick movement, where the two horses rode from two opposite sides, the riders' blades slashing at the wolves in the way. 

And then the rest of the formation was following, the horses heavily trampling the two wolves that had been injured. Levi only turned once, watching the wolves twitch as the rest followed. 

Mike had returned to his place beside Hanji, not far from Levi. Erwin was leading once again. Levi only hoped the way back would be shorter. 

But of course, the universe seemed to be against him. 

As soon as they were amongst higher buildings, the Rogue vampires were all over the place, seemingly having hidden there the whole day and just awaiting for them to come out. Levi bet that they had an ounce of intelligence left in those rotten brains. 

The first orange flare was shot out instantly and the first squad was up and moving. Levi reached sideways for a horse that has been vacated, quickly tying the reins to his own horse. He took the moment to watch the bloodshed before him, watching as soldiers began to get splattered against the walls, tackled by wolves, jumped by vampires. It was revolting. 

He turned and looked at Hanji instead, who gave him a small but determined gaze; the exact one he needed right now. He had to get through this, and not for the sake of anybody else, but for Eren's sake. Only Eren's. 

He reached into one of his most hidden, safe pockets and his fingers grabbed the gold ring that had been set upon his finger by Eren. He held it for a moment, somehow finding it to be reassuring, finding it to be comforting, finding it to be safe; finding it to be a piece of Eren. 

_“I'm doing it because I love you. And I need the comfort of knowing that you're out there, wearing this, so that everybody knows you're my mate.”_

He turned back to look forward, his hands steadily gripping the reins of his horse as he sat up slightly. He drew his gun and aimed at a nearby lycan, pulling the trigger and slowing him down. He then aimed at another, and another, and another, and another. The routine didn't stop. 

A green flare was shot out and Levi hid his gun again. The formation sped up every so slightly while the soldiers got back to their horses. Levi noted the quickly rising amount of horses that were just galloping, following the rest, but with no rider upon their backs. 

Time worked in a funny way during expeditions. Sometimes, they was the longest hours in his life, the very same hours that would keep him awake at night. But at other times, time ran and before you knew it, you were at the gates and they were opening for you, offering safety. 

Funnily enough, time seemed to slow down when you were determined to outrun it. 

He eyed the lycans he was still shooting at, his eyebrows furrowing. One of them had brown fur, of a darker shade as it seemed in the moonlight, and vaguely reminded Levi of his own mate. He shook his head and aimed again, shooting at said lycan, but feeling an uncomfortable pull in his chest. 

It wasn't long before the lycans had began crowding around them once again, and Levi prepared, knowing well that the flare was coming soon. The moment Erwin raised his hand up, Levi was already up and shooting through the air, slashing at a vampire on a nearby rooftop. 

The green flare shot out and more soldiers quickly joined him. He spotted Hanji not far away; she and Mike had perfected a precise routine where they twirled around each other for protection and additional power. He spotted Gunther and Erd performing their squad manoeuvres – the very ones that Levi had devised – and felt a short wave of pride. 

So he found Petra instead, and as he paused on a wall beside her, she seemed to understand the message his eyes conveyed. They shot out in perfect unison, lowering slightly, going ahead of the formation. 

Swinging right above ground, they dodged a lycan, both of them sharply turning sideways. But their blades were ready, and as one swung lower, the other aimed perfectly at the nape. 

Levi reached forward, grabbing Petra's hand while he did, giving her a small smirk that conveyed a silent 'are you up for it?'. She replied with a determined gaze and then shot out her hooks to match his as they turned in the air. Levi let his own hooks release and Petra latched on forward, still holding his arm and then let go at the precise moment she needed to. 

Levi shot forward through the air with higher speed than he usually would, but it was easier to catch a stray vampire off guard and there was a blade pierced through its heart before it even knew what was happening. 

He paused latched onto a wall, waiting for the rest of the formation to join him. But then someone caught his eye. 

Up above on the other side of the street, Marco fought with a Rogue vampire. Levi's eyes widened as another climbed up the other side of the building, trying to take Marco by surprise. 

He shot out quickly, perhaps wasting too much gas, but speed was a necessity here. His foot stepped onto the rooftop just as the vampire was supposed to pounce at Marco, and Levi's hand grabbed at the dagger by his belt. He threw it then, and sent out a quick prayer when it hit the vampire square in the chest, but missed his heart by millimetres. 

But he had gotten the distraction he needed. Marco turned for a moment, seeing the vampire and his eyes widening before he continued the fight. 

Levi had stepped up to the other vampire, sharply pulling at the dagger and shoving at the vampire's chest with his foot at the same time. The vampire stumbled, and it only took Levi a second to draw his blade and stab it right through the chest, where the dagger had not reached the first time.

He turned, finding Marco standing above the other Rogue, dead. “Try to be careful, next time.” Levi snapped impatiently, turning away and walking over to the edge of a rooftop. 

“Thank you, Corporal.” Marco quickly chirped. 

“Don't mention it.” Levi threw over his shoulder, and then he was in the air again, joining the rest of the formation. He could hear Marco shoot out not far behind him. 

Levi lowered again, his blades slashing at a lycan running after the cart. The carts were mostly empty at this point anyway, but there was still a driver and two soldiers on it. He missed the first time and as he twirled to go back around again, he dodged the lycan's attack before singing his blades into his nape. 

He paused on a wall yet again – he had quickly found latching onto walls sideways was one of his favourite positions – and scanned the formation. There were still so many of them, and Levi's brain quickly calculated the losses they had taken already. 

But then something different caught his eyes. A fear struck up his veins, his heart slowing down for a moment as he froze. A pair of teal-green eyes stared back at him from the rear of the formation, and the lycan's eyes looked so much like Eren's that Levi had to take a moment and tell himself that it wasn't Eren, it couldn't be. Eren was safe inside the walls. Beside, the lycan's fur was a light brown. 

But those eyes. They had turned away from Levi now and measured in on a target, but Levi suddenly felt protective, felt like those eyes didn't deserve to die. It took him a couple of seconds to understand how completely idiotic he sounded and he shook himself out of it. 

But the distraction was enough. 

When he turned, he was faced with the sharp teeth of a Rogue lycan. The lycan had jumped from a roof to attack him and was now dropping at full speed towards Levi, claws ready to rip into skin, teeth snarling to bite into any flesh that they could. And Levi's blades weren't even in place. 

He couldn't keep his promise to Eren. 

He wasn't going to come back. 

In the distance, a green flare shot out. 

And then there was another sound, right by Levi and something moved rapidly in front of him. He saw a patch of green – darker than the flare had been- and a blur of the Survey Corps logo as a figure swung right in front of Levi. 

The lycan had landed perfectly, but he had caught the soldier that had swung in front of him and they both toppled to the ground. His eyes wide, still in shock, it took Levi a moment to recover. The formation had gone ahead, and they were in the back now. 

Without a second thought, he landed on the ground, his blade ready this time. But the lycan was dead, somehow stabbed perfectly through the heart, lying across the Survey Corps soldier, its weight pressing the vampire to the ground. 

Levi kicked and shoved at the lycan and when his eyes set upon the soldier, ready to thank them for saving his life, they instead widened.

Marco stared up at him from the ground. His uniform was stained his blood; there was a giant, deep claw mark down his throat and the blood continued pouring down onto his white shirt, staining it forever. 

Levi didn't think twice. He picked up the boy – because that's what he still was, just a boy – and immediately got them up into the air again, following the formation. His eyes set upon Marco's injury, and although he knew they healed quickly, he also understood that a major artery had been ripped completely apart. 

Marco was trying to say something, stuttering. His eyes scrunched in pain every few seconds, one of his hands desperately gripping at Levi's shoulder as his breaths came heavy, short and messy and heaving. 

“You stupid, fucking kid,” Levi almost hissed, his teeth gritting as he righted his hold on Marco. “You had to go and save my stupid life, and now your mate will fucking kill me in return.” Levi felt the tightness in his chest, his eyes burning with the effort of holding back tears. 

Even through the mess of blood and tears, Marco managed a small smile. “Don't mention it.” 

Levi's eyes widened further, the panic quickly settling in. “Come on, Freckles, stay with me.” He spoke quickly as he landed on one of the emptier carts. 

“Hanji! He's bleeding out! Get me the first aid kit!” 

~~*~~*~~

“Did I somehow spin a wheel of misfortune today and you're the grand prize?” Eren chirped as Jean came into the room without knocking. “Didn't mama teach Jeanbo how to knock?” Eren added quickly, feeling as if he was on a roll. “Or were you just horsing around when she did?” 

“You're particularly stupid, today.” Jean pointed out with a roll of his eyes. He made himself comfortable in Levi's chair and slowly looked over the papers aligned neatly along the desk. “It's not my shift and Marco isn't here.” He spoke instead. 

Eren should have been surprised at Jean's presence, especially considering it was around midnight. But the Survey Corps were set to be back soon, hopefully, so he understood that Jean was as much on an edge as Eren was. 

Eren actually snorted. “So I'm your second choice for a friend?” He grinned, laughing silently. “Did you not get the impression that I'm not particularly fond of you? Because then I haven't been doing my job well.” 

Jean smirked. “That's not what your dick said at some point.” 

Eren narrowed his eyes. “Now you're just playing dirty.” He pointed out sternly. “While you're sitting in my mate's chair.” He added. 

Jean narrowed his eyes slightly and a smirk stretched on his lips again as he wiggled his body all over the chair, making sure his scent was left behind. 

“Stop that!” Eren snapped. “Besides, you don't even like vampires, why the hell are you in their headquarters?” 

“Try to keep up, Eren.” Jean sighed, rolling his eyes. “I've been looking for you.” He said and then furrowed his eyebrows. “And that's not true. I tolerate some vampires; I did save your mate's life once.” 

“That's an over exaggeration!” Eren quickly cut in. “You ran at a wolf and knocked it off of Levi. That's not saving his life; that's helping him stand up.” 

“Well, with how short he is, I figured he would need all the help he could get with standing up.” 

“Oi! Fuck off!” Eren snapped. “You can say whatever you want about me but don't bring Levi into this.” 

Something sparkled in Jean's eyes as Eren's protective side came forth. “I've heard some particularly disturbing news.” Jean spoke instead. 

“Did you?” Eren asked innocently. 

“Apparently you're getting hitched.” 

“Then you've heard right.” Eren simply shrugged. 

Jean laughed. “Who could have guessed? Little suicidal bastard finally getting hitched.” He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. A ring lingered on Jean's own finger, and his eyes closed in on it. He had asked Marco to marry him months ago now, but they never officially had the ceremony (as a lot of people didn't) and they weren't blood-bound either. Blood-bonding was heavily discouraged in the Survey Corps. 

“Well, if you could do it with that face, then statistically, I had even higher chances.” Eren pointed out. 

“Are you sure about it, though?” Jean had remained serious, staring ahead at Eren and completely ignoring the joke. “It's a big step. Are you sure you want to take it with Levi?” 

Eren grinned back. “I'm completely sure.” He answered. 

“Good.” Jean nodded and leaned back into the chair. “Life's kinda funny.” He said after a moment, chuckling. 

“With a face like that, yeah.” 

Jean acknowledged the joke and rolled his eyes. “If I hadn't known Marco was my mate, then I would probably still be hitting on Mikasa.” He pointed out with a chuckle. 

“And you would still be getting horribly rejected.” Eren added with a shrug to which Jean gave him a dirty look. 

“She was coming around!” Jean argued, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“She was definitely not.” Eren argued. 

Jean narrowed his eyes and stood up from the chair, walking around the room now. “What the hell do you know? You were too stuck in your own little world most of the time.” Jean pointed out. 

“Yeah, and the sight of your horse face always managed to scare me back into reality.” 

“You really gotta ease on the horse jokes.” Jean rolled his eyes, huffing. “They'll get boring very soon.” 

Eren grinned. “I say 'neigh' to that.” He shot back. 

“You're so immature. I don't even know how Levi puts up wit-” Jean stopped dead in his sentence. 

Eren looked up, finding Jean staring blankly at the wall before him. “Jean?” He murmured as he watched Jean's eyes widen drastically. His body had frozen, not one muscle moving. He could swear Jean stopped breathing for a moment. 

“Jean?” Eren was up on his feet, walking towards the other lycan rapidly. Jean made no other noise, but his knees gave out under his weight and he collapsed to the floor, his breathing suddenly heavy and rapid. “Jean, what the hell is going on?”

When he got to Jean, he understood that the lycan's body was trembling, each muscles shivering hard as his breathing continued to quicken, in rapid, breathless bursts now. His lip quivered and eyes watered, and Eren was utterly confused. 

Instead, his ears picked up a drastic change in Jean's heart beat. His heart had slowed down quickly, as opposed to his breathing and another shiver made it's way through his body. His limbs gave out and he would have fallen face first into the floor if Eren's hadn't been there to catch him. “No,” Jean finally whispered, silent tears quickly gathering and falling over the brims of his eyes. 

“Jean, what's going on?!” 

“No, no, no, no, no,” He continued whispering, his voice blank, his body trembling, his breaths almost non-existent now. There was so much pain in his eyes, his gaze vacant as he stared at the ceiling. 

“Jean!” Jean trembled again, harder now, his hand weakly and desperately gripping at Eren's wrist. 

Then came a single word in a quiet, breathless whimper: “Marco.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POLO! Sorry.   
> Yeah, so I'm not sure what the say about this chapter. Um....the next one will be happier?   
> Also, if you don't think Hanji is No.1 Ereri Shipper then I've clearly not done my job properly.   
> Daaaaaamn 7K words. This was like 12 pages on Word. I think it's the longest chapter yet :D But yooooooo, today I figured out what each character will be doing and how they will end in this story. So I guess that's a bit late, but better late than never, right?  
> But, thanks for reading!   
> …Don't kill me.


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had lost all concept of time. He only knew that they were still outside the walls and he was covered in blood that wasn't his own. And then they were riding through the gates, met with cheers and yells. The moment he stepped off his horse, there were arms wrapped around him and the warmth radiating off of Eren's body was comforting.

He had lost all concept of time. He only knew that they were still outside the walls and he was covered in blood that wasn't his own. And then they were riding through the gates, met with cheers and yells. The moment he stepped off his horse, there were arms wrapped around him and the warmth radiating off of Eren's body was comforting.

“Levi...” Eren's whisper made his body relax, instantly melting into the embrace. For a moment, he forgot that people died; he forgot that none of this was over; hell, he even forgot the fact that he was covered head to toe in blood as he embraced Eren, his arms wrapping tightly around his mate. 

It was 3AM, he dully noted as the clock struck loudly. The Survey Corps have all gone their ways. Most hurrying to their mates while others – like Erwin – tiredly made their way to the headquarters, wanting the well-deserved rest. 

He tiredly opened his eyes and immediately caught Hanji's gaze. She looked uncomfortable, standing next to Mike, and there was even pity in her eyes; but nonetheless, it was not pity directed at Levi, but at Eren. 

“You're okay.” Eren's voice was low and breathless, as if he ran all the way here. “You're really okay.” 

“I am.” Levi replied in a whisper. “But...” He paused, burrowing his face further into Eren's shoulder and sighing. “But I'm not the one who - “ He cut off, not sure how to proceed. 

“I was worried.” Eren admitted in return. “Something happened to Jean... It was something to do with Marco and - “ Eren paused and his head rose. Levi almost felt his eyes slowly scan the last of the remaining Survey Corps who had not left yet. “Did you see Marco?” He finally asked, pulling back and looking at Levi. 

“I did.” Levi admitted but then looked away. “Eren, he - “ He looked up and Eren must have noticed something in his stormy eyes, because shock quickly administered on his face, his mouth agape. 

“No.” He whispered. “Levi, tell me it's not - “He cut off yet again, breathless as he caught a familiar scent and his head turned towards one of the carts that had rode past them. 

He saw the pile of bodies stacked on the cart, each soldier's face covered with the Survey Corps cape. They tried to bring back the ones that they could; it was only fair to their families. 

Then Eren was ripping away from him and running after the cart. Once he caught up, he immediately jumped on top, ignoring the remarks of the soldier driving it. Levi had yelled for them to stop the cart while Eren uncovered face after face, all pale and ghostly and lifeless – dead. 

Once he reached the face he knew he would find, a gasp left his mouth and he stumbled, almost falling off the cart. But then Levi was beside him, steadying him, wrapping his arms around him as Eren nuzzled his face into the others' neck and whimpered. 

“Come on.” Levi whispered, his hand comfortingly running over Eren's back. “Jean will need his friends. And I have a lot of families to notify of their loss.” Levi spoke sadly. 

Eren shook his head lightly. “You need sleep.” He murmured in argument. 

Levi didn't argue, but he didn't agree either. “Let's go back.” For a moment, he wanted to call it home. But the headquarters weren't his home and after everything he associated them with, they never would be. 

~~*~~*~~

“He didn't sleep.” Levi murmured from the shade the building provided, his eyes focused solely on his mate in the middle of the courtyard. “I don't know what the hell to do; what the fuck do you do when this happens?” He murmured to his companion. 

Hanji remained silent for a moment. “You know it's not my job to worry about the status of a single lycan.” She understood the silent question Levi had posed. “But,” She sighed, leaning on the doorway. “I have checked in with Rico. She says that Jean is in their medical ward and he is stable for now. He has his friends around him.”

Levi nodded. People were different. When tragedy struck, many ran for protection to their close ones, needing the company or else they would be left alone, with those mocking thoughts swirling in their heads. While others chose solitude, pondering on how they would react and then breaking apart inside, with not a single word uttered outloud. Petra was the latter, but Jean wasn't like Petra. For Eren's sake, Levi hoped they were both as strong. 

Eren was currently in the middle of the courtyard, his hands wrapped as to not get too bruised, his fists striking at one of the training dummies. The sweat was drenching his shirt quickly, but he didn't stop. Levi couldn't do anything but watch. He had tried, but there was a silent anger quickly building up inside of Eren, and it had nothing to do with him; though Levi had told him Marco saved his life. Eren simply sneered and threw a quick 'of course he would.' 

“The Garrison decided that Grisha Yeager's house in Shiganshina is the best bet for clues.” Hanji notified him. “Nile spoke with Erwin the second we arrived. He's just as curious about it as we are.” 

“But that doesn't mean he's willing to risk any of his soldiers.” Levi sighed. 

“Bingo.” Hanji sighed. “He did, however, agree to terms that volunteers would go.” She spoke instead. “But Erwin would be forced to agree to those terms as well.” 

“Volunteering to go would be idiotic.” Levi pointed out. 

“And yet you'd be the first in line.” Hanji sneered. 

“Love makes you stupid.” Levi raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking up as he shot Hanji a teasing look. 

“You were pretty stupid to begin with.” Hanji rolled her eyes. “My theory is that every time you kill a Rogue, you lose some brain cells.” 

“It's possible.” He shrugged nonchalantly. His eyes had remained on Eren. “Move the ceremony back.” He changed the topic, avoiding Hanji's gaze. “Now is not the time.” 

“Are you sure?” Hanji asked him.

He turned towards her. “I'm sure.” When he turned back around, Eren was walking towards them, all sweat-drenched and breathless. 

At first, Levi wasn't sure what to say, but Eren beat him to it anyway. “Don't.” He spoke, facing Hanji. “It's the only damn good thing in my life now.” He muttered, looking away from the both of them. 

Hanji looked towards Levi questioningly. He watched Eren for a moment, watched his crimson cheeks turning a deeper red as he looked up and caught the vampire's focused gaze. “Fine.” He replied to Hanji. 

“Done.” Hanji smiled. “I'll have everything prepared for tonight.” She grinned. 

Eren smiled, his eyes straying to Levi again. “You better go and shower,” Levi spoke up, his mouth twisting with distaste as he grabbed at Eren's shirt with two fingers. “No fucking way you're involved in a blood-bonding ceremony with me if you're all sweaty.” 

~~*~~*~~

“How is he?” 

Armin was stood in front of the room, a frown etched on his face and his arms crossed. His blue eyes were brighter than Eren had seen them in some time, which only furthered his suspicion that Armin had cried at some point, not long ago.

“He just...” He started but trailed off, not sure how to proceed. “He's completely shut down. He won't talk to any of us.” Armin shook his head sadly. “He hasn't slept yet, either. Or eaten anything. The doctors are worried he might find a passive way to...” Armin trailed off again, looking away. 

“He won't.” Eren insisted harshly. 

“You don't know that, Eren...” 

“I do.” Eren quickly argued. “He's always been stronger than me. That isn't going to suddenly change.” He murmured, looking away. It was uncomfortable admitting that Jean was better than him in some aspect, but it was completely true. 

“It doesn't matter.” Armin replied sadly. “One in three die. Petra didn't. The numbers are against him.” Of course, Armin would approach this with statistics. 

“He's not like that.” Eren looked towards the door. Mikasa and Armin were currently at Jean's side, but soon Connie and Sasha would come back and they would swap around again. “Can I help in any way?” 

Armin looked up at him, a corner of his lips lifting in a comforting manner as he put his hand on Eren's shoulder. “You can't.” He admitted. “Besides, you have your own life to worry about. I should be offended I'm not invited to the blood-bonding ceremony.” 

Eren looked at him bewildered. 

Armin chuckled softly. “Hanji told me.” His eyebrows furrowed, an entertained sparkle glimmering in his eyes. “Actually, I'm pretty sure she told everyone.” 

“Of course she did...” Eren sighed, running his hand through his hair. “It's...Nobody is invited. It's just me and Levi.” He stated, his eyes pleading Armin for forgiveness. 

“I understand.” Armin told him. “We'll take care of Jean. You take care of Levi.” He looked towards the door for a moment, a distant look inching its way into his eyes. “You never know when your loved ones will be taken away from you.” 

~~*~~*~~

“You're fucking with me.” “That's great!” Clearly, Levi and Hanji had completely different attitudes towards what Erwin said. 

“It's true,” He sighed, weary and clearly not getting enough sleep. “We received permission for an expedition to Shiganshina but under the conditions that only soldiers who volunteered will go and the expedition has to be back within a day – no shelter. There and straight back.” 

“Those are perfect.” Hanji pressed on. “All we need to do is find the house and give it a quick search. It won't take long, and then we can be on our way back.” 

“How do you suppose we keep the deaths to a minimum?” Levi asked sceptically. “Actually, scratch that: how do you suppose we get people to volunteer to die?” 

“Don't be morbid, Levi.” She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “As long as they paid attention in training, they will be fine. They're soldiers.” She spoke. “Think about everything that we can find! This house clearly holds some secrets; if he managed to find a cure, what else did he find?” 

“Hanji is right.” Mike piped in. “But I do think that the tactics are a pressing issue.” His eyes cast back to Erwin. 

“We're looking at a minimal area, Rogues incoming from all sides. Yes, there are buildings to help our 3DMG but it still doesn't change the fact that people will die.” Erwin paused with a sigh. “And as Levi rightly pointed out, we have no sure way of knowing how many people will volunteer.” 

Levi was caught between the two extremes. Not going would mean they had no chance of finding out how Eren's immunity worked, or even if there was an actual cure for this. The Etch inside him pulled at his chest; he needed to know that his mate would be okay. But going didn't automatically mean that they would resolve all of this, and it also meant the loss of innocent lives. 

“We can't leave.” Levi suddenly spoke up. All eyes turned to him. “Not just yet. We have different issues to resolve.” He muttered. “What about the three Rogues inside the walls? It was because of their doing that we lost Wall Maria; they might be waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.” 

“We can't underestimate them.” Mike added. “We already did that once.” 

Erwin agreed. “The expedition will be made public.” He announced. “Signing up will open for those who wish to volunteer. But I'm not going to put a specific date on the expedition, just yet.” He turned to Mike. “Double up the patrols. Triple the patrols underground. I want every house and corner searched for those three.”

~~*~~*~~

He felt utterly ridiculous. Sure, he was used to dressing up smartly, but formal and smart was not the same thing. He has quickly grown used to wearing a cravat as it gave him that authorial look, but wearing an actual suit was a complete exaggeration. 

Still, he kind of wondered how Eren was looking in his own suit. Hanji had insisted on formal wear and once he saw Eren's eyes light up, he found it hard to outright deny. Still, it didn't stop him from trying to argue. Damn Eren's large, bright eyes. 

So here he was now, walking into a room dressed in black slacks and a white button-up shirt. His cravat was still perfectly in place – and it was somehow comforting – but he still felt weird, especially when Hanji squealed once she saw him. 

“Aw, you look hot.” She grinned, winking. 

“Stop trying to get on my dick.” He rolled his eyes, looking around the dimly lit room. There was a perfect white circle drawn on and for a moment, Levi was impressed. Then he remembered how crazy Hanji was, and it instantly vanished. “How does all of this work?” He muttered, looking over to Hanji. 

“I see you don't even bother waiting for me to start.” Levi turned and his breath hitched. Eren was dressed similarly to him, and as the lycan grinned, his eyes shone brighter under the minimal light in the room. His eyes quickly skimmed Eren's body, raising an eyebrow at the way the shirt hugged around his quickly growing shoulders. “I'm not surprised.” Eren huffed, walking over to him. “I'm good to watch you try to blood-bond yourself.” He grinned. 

Levi rolled his eyes, his hand inching forward to grab at the others' waist. “Tch,” He scoffed. “You're getting too cheeky for my liking.” He murmured and Eren grinned just before they kissed, slowly and passionately. Hanji 'aww'd' in the distance and Levi slowly pulled away, raising an eyebrow at her. 

“Right.” Hanji clapped her hands. “Get in.” She motioned to the circle. 

They both stepped over the white line and Hanji grinned yet again. Levi gave her an unamused gaze; he never understood the whole ceremony. It would work just fine if he just exchanged blood with Eren. There was no need for fancy symbolism such as this. 

“So, we are gathered here today to-” 

“Are you serious?” Levi interrupted. 

“Take all the fun out of it then.” Hanji sighed. “Well, I'm required to say this: does anyone object to this union?” The other two both looked at Hanji who, after a short pause, shrugged and carried on. “Great.” She grinned. “Let's get to it.” 

She picked up a medium-sized chalice and brought it forward, her other hand holding a silver knife. First, she turned to Eren, who placed his open hand right above the chalice. She handed him the knife and they watched as Eren dipped the blade into his skin, the droplets of blood quickly cascading down into the chalice. 

After a few drops fell, he handed the knife back to Hanji who in turn turned towards Levi. It seemed Eren knew more about what the hell was happening. Levi repeated the action, watching as his blood mixed with Eren's in the chalice. Hanji took the knife back and smiled while Levi watched the cut on his palm heal. 

“Do you, Eren, offer yourself to Levi as a blood-bound mate; a friend, a lover and a lifelong companion, as long as you both shall live?” Hanji smiled, but it was one of those smiles that seemed almost too big, and Levi knew that inside, she was holding back all the feelings she was hoping to release. 

“I do.” Eren spoke up, his teal-green eyes connecting with Levi's. He smiled as he did, and Levi felt something warm stir in his chest. Hanji nodded once and Eren stepped forward, his hands shakily reaching for the first button of Levi's shirt. 

The blood-bonding ceremony was an intimate ritual, so Levi understood Eren's shakiness as his fingers slowly unbuttoned button after button before his shirt fell open. Hanji pushed the chalice closer and Eren hesitated for a moment before dipping a finger in the blood and looking over to Levi. He brought the blood-stained finger forward and slowly drew the correct symbol on Levi's chest, right over his heart. 

He then retreated his hand with a blush quickly rising on his cheeks. 

“Do you, Levi, offer yourself to Eren as a blood-bound mate; a friend, a lover and a lifelong companion, as long as you both shall live?” 

Levi smiled as Eren looked up at him, flustered and embarrassed. “I do.” 

He proceeded to repeat the same actions Eren had done, but he couldn't stop the grin spreading over his face once Eren's blush deepened and deepened the further Levi got his shirt open. Once it fell open, Levi only took a second to marvel at the tanned, smooth skin of Eren's chest and abdomen before he dipped his finger in the blood – not bothering to hide his disgusted expression. 

He drew the shape over Eren's heart and retreated back to his position, hoping that the warmness quickly spreading over his body did not show in the form of a blush. He would not be caught blushing like a little virgin. 

Putting the chalice and the silver knife down, Hanji instead picked up a golden knife with a red jewel embedded in it. She handed it to Eren. 

Eren reached out his hand and once Levi placed his own hand in his palm, Eren mouthed a silent 'sorry.' He then brought the knife down and cut a thin line down Levi's palm while murmuring the words, “Let this be the only pain felt, the only blood shed and keep my love safe.” 

He then handed the knife to Levi before handing his own palm over. Levi mirrored what Eren did on his palm, his eyes on Eren the whole time to make sure he wasn't hurting him. Once the blood began spilling over the edge of the cut, and Hanji took the knife away, they both looked up at each other. 

“I love you.” Eren whispered. 

Levi let the corners of his lips quirk up. “I love you too.” He murmured before Eren clasped his injured hand with his own, mixing their blood in the embrace. An injury created by your mate never healed, and they would both carry the cuts on their palms proudly for the rest of their lives. 

“Congratulations.” Hanji grinned and then Eren was pulling him forward and kissing him, kissing him like his life depended on it; kissing him quickly but deeply – passionately.

They both expected things to be different now; but has anything really changed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a rhetorical question, but feel free to answer it :D I'm wondering what you guys think.   
> I know I made you wait so long for something so crap but I felt so awkward writing that ceremony like, I really hope you feel the second-hand embarrass cause it was supposed to be embarrassing and inexperienced. But I don't particularly like this chapter; it's more of a filler, I guess.   
> I was trying to work out exactly where I was going with this and I realised I still have to do something in the story before they can go to Shiganshina and find out all these secrets. Never the less, I am still predicting the story to be about 30 chapters long.   
> I'll try to make up the crapness of this chapter with the next, but I'm not too sure about when it will be coming. The good news is that I start Christmas holidays next Friday, so I'll have a lot of free time.   
> Tumblr: [surveycorpscastiel](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)  
> P.S - I was hoping to write an ereri Christmas one-shot, so I'll let you know if that is happening :P


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every time Eren smiled, his chest filled with the warmness. Every time Eren touched him, his skin was on fire. Every time Eren spoke his name, Levi yearned for him to say it once more. All the different feelings Eren felt, Levi felt a part of them in himself. For example, the impatience to lead them back to their bedroom was currently flowing through Eren and right to Levi.

“Armin?” Mikasa’s voice was quiet in the spacious room. It echoed dreadfully, and Armin looked up to meet her tearful eyes. “Do you think he will make it?” She whispered it as quietly as she could, but there was no point.

Sasha and Connie would hear them anyway, and she knew they had once Connie’s head perked up from the couch.

“I don’t know.” Armin told her truthfully. He wasn’t going to be fooling anyone. They all deserved to be honest with each other, especially now; all their friends were dying, one by one. 

He watched Mikasa for a long moment, trying to understand what she was feeling. Mikasa was a strong person – one of the strongest he had ever met – but the people she held close, she cared for dearly and it was tough to watch her slowly be torn apart by all of this. 

But she wasn’t the only one who was feeling this way. 

Ever since they were young, they were taught that a mate was to be cherished – always – and it was the one person in the world who understood you perfectly. But of course, some people didn’t have them. Some people’s mates have turned Rogue before the Etch could begin working, and it was inevitable. It did, however, save you the pain of watching your mate die or turn Rogue before your eyes. 

Armin had no allusions to the fact that he was one of those people. He still had time to find a mate, but inside, he knew his mate was no longer able to love him back. So he gave up. 

Or, at least he wished he could. 

He still felt things immensely, which was both helpful and annoying. On one hand, he still wanted to find someone who could love him back; people whose mates have died or who have not found a mate were his available partners – humans counted in that category also. But he had a hard time understanding the concept of love. 

He loved Eren. He loved Mikasa. He loved his friends, but that was not the same feeling he was yearning. He wanted more, and he remembered that in their young trainee days, there were a few people who had made him feel more. 

He had thought he had a crush on Eren at some point, but it only took him a day to understand that his over-determined friend was just that – a friend. 

He had thought he had a crush on Historia at some point, but it only took a menacing glare from Ymir to understand that Historia was not meant for him. 

He had thought he had a crush on Jean, but it took Jean falling for Marco to make Armin understand that Jean was not meant for him either. Though, that one hurt more than it should have. 

“Where’s Eren?” Sasha’s voice was sleepy, her head leaned on Connie’s shoulder as she yawned and stretched slightly. The sun was dipping into the horizon, and it was time for both her and Connie to return to their assigned jobs soon. “I haven’t seen him around.” She added, her eyes turning to look at Jean for a short moment before they closed again. 

Armin sighed, his hand wrapping around Jean’s cold one. “He’s with Levi.” He replied. “Let him be.” He added quickly, raising his eyes to look at Mikasa. “He deserves to be happy.” He whispered, his eyes lowering to look at Jean’s pale face again. Jean would never be happy again. 

“Agreed.” Mikasa murmured, looking away. She had a hard time admitting it, but she knew Levi was good for Eren. She knew what loneliness felt like and for a moment, Armin wondered whether that’s what Jean would feel: loneliness. Jean had always thought Mikasa was gorgeous; there was nothing to stop the two of them being together. And maybe that was good – maybe Jean needed Mikasa to help him. 

“M-Marco – “Armin’s eyes widened, looking over to Jean. His eyes had clenched tighter in his sleep, his lips twisting into a grimace and his hand has squeezed at Armin’s. Armin squeezed back, comfortingly, and visibly   
relaxed once Jean’s face returned to normal. 

Armin made a vow to himself then: he would not let Jean die. 

~~*~~*~~

“Corporal!” 

He paused in his action, turning around, his hand still entwined with Eren’s. Behind him, Eren tensed impatiently and Levi almost smirked as the impatience rolled off of his mate. 

Petra had come down the hallway, an apologetic frown etched on her face. “Corporal, it’s time for the weekly scheduled meeting.” She murmured, her eyes straying away from his gaze. 

“Can’t it wait?” He almost groaned. He almost felt embarrassed at the heat quickly gathering in his chest, but he knew it was coming from Eren. 

Things felt different. 

Every time Eren smiled, his chest filled with the warmness. Every time Eren touched him, his skin was on fire. Every time Eren spoke his name, Levi yearned for him to say it once more. All the different feelings Eren felt, Levi felt a part of them in himself. For example, the impatience to lead them back to their bedroom was currently flowing through Eren and right to Levi. 

Petra gave him a pointed look, though he did notice the apology in her eyes. Her soft smile also told him that she knew perfectly what was happening. 

He huffed and squeezed Eren’s hand, turning to look at him. Eren’s eyes widened as he found the apology flowing through their connection mixed with regret – it was strange to feel what Levi was feeling. “I won’t be long.” Levi murmured, stepping closer, his hand steadily settling on Eren’s hip. He bit on his lip, looking up at Eren, “I promise.” 

Eren rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He huffed, leaning forward and connecting their lips together. The heat instantly cascaded over both of their bodies and Eren’s mouth opened in a quiet gasp, giving Levi the opportunity to let his tongue explore his mate’s mouth, kissing him for longer than it was probably acceptable to. “But don’t take too long.” Eren breathed out when they pulled away. 

“I promise.” Levi repeated, kissing him quickly once more, a quick peck on his lips. He watched Eren look at him through hooded eyes and left yet another quick kiss on his lips before turning around and joining Petra in a walk down the hallway. 

~~*~~*~~

“Right.” His eyes skimmed down the list quickly. “Schedule the training at 1 on Wednesday and Thursday. At 2 on all the other days.” His foot had began to tap an impatient beat, his pen joining it in the impatient gesture through tapping on the table. “Evaluation on Friday – 4AM would be decent.” 

“Wouldn't that clash with the training session?” Gunther spoke up. 

Levi huffed. “Move the training to 1 on Friday.” 

“There's a weekly meeting with Commander Smith on Fridays at 12.” 

Levi huffed again and rolled his eyes. “What the hell is so important that he needs a meeting right before my damn training sessions?” He almost growled. 

“It's routine, sir.” Petra supplied. “And...” She hesitated for a moment. “Wouldn't it be smart to add more members to the squad, sir?” She asked quietly and his eyes widened, knowing how hard it was to propose that. 

He looked around the table: Petra, Gunther and Erd. There were four of them, and although they were only missing one member, Levi understood what she meant. Other squads had around ten members each. Levi never bothered with quantity; quality was what mattered. 

“Get me the statistics of other Survey Corps members. I'll be sure to look over them.” Petra nodded, quickly writing it down. “Anything else?” 

“We heard about the expedition to Shiganshina...” Gunther spoke up. 

“You're not required to go.” Levi cut him off. He looked down at his watch; it was nearing 10pm. “I will be going, but you are not required to. Only if you want to.” He added. 

“Of course we're going.” Erd spoke up. 

“We're not leaving you to go alone.” Petra smiled at him. 

He gave her a tight smile back and stood up. “Right. That concludes the meeting.” He looked down at his watch and gathered his notes. “Go have fun. Train. Drink. Fornicate. Whatever.” He waved his hand in their direction while he headed for the door. 

He opened the door and left the room. Just as he turned into the hallway, he bumped straight into somebody. “There you are!” He cursed at the voice that greeted him. “We thought we would miss you.” He looked up at Hanji, a growl ready at his lips. 

“I'm busy.” He snapped and tried to go around her but she was wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him back towards the door. 

“Oh, no, no,” She quickly started speaking, a teasing grin lighting up her lips. “We're actually here to join your meeting.” She spoke as he was pulled back into the room he just left. Moblit and Mike stepped in after her and closed the door. Petra, Erd and Gunther looked up from their seats in confusion. “We have to speak about the details of the Shiganshina expedition.” 

“That's not happening until we catch the Rogues.” Levi reminded, unwrapping himself from her arm and straightening out his uniform with a huff. 

“True.” She agreed, grinning wide as she pushed him down onto a seat, her grabby fingers on his shoulders. “But there is a lot to be discussed. For example, we have had a few lycans volunteering to go. This is the first time lycans will be allowed to join in an expedition.” She sat down in a seat opposite of him and put her feet up on the table. 

“It's not my job to work out the details.” Levi snapped, seeing exactly what she was doing. 

“True.” Hanji agreed, her eyes still glimmering with mischief. “But aren't you curious about the possibilities?” She snapped her fingers, as if she just remembered another detail. “Have you worked out a schedule for the full moon yet?” She asked, sitting up in her seat. 

It suddenly dawned on Levi that he had completely forgot about the full moon coming up. He remembered thinking about it on the expedition, but as soon as Eren was in the vicinity, it seemed he lost all reasonable thoughts. The full moon was tomorrow. 

“I need to get out of here.” He stood up again at the same time the door opened. 

“Have you decided on anything?” He turned to watch Erwin close the door behind him. 

“We just started.” Hanji replied with a shrug. Levi almost growled; he was wasting precious time. 

Erwin nodded as he sat down. “Good. Fill me in.” Levi leaned his head back and groaned; he hated them all. 

~~*~~*~~

It was ridiculous how much he depended on Levi. 

He kicked a stone in his way, huffing to himself, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. The weather had been gradually getting colder and with November less than a week away, they should expect snow soon. He also made a mental note to go shopping for Armin's birthday. 

Midnight ran around in circles around the trees, her tongue hanging out as she stopped and looked to Eren every few seconds. She looked happy, and Eren could not be anymore miserable. 

He had become so dependant on Levi that he had lost a part of himself. Levi had a job to do, but now that Commander Dawk had pretty much told Eren he was not one of them, he had a hard time adjusting to where the hell he was supposed to be. 

There was also a different issue. 

He had hoped it would all stop. He hoped the voices would stop; he hoped the shivers would stop; he hoped the need would stop – he hoped the craving would stop. But since he had blood-bonded with Levi a mere two hours before, there was no sign of change. 

He felt slightly different, yes. He felt closer to Levi. Levi's feelings were like a quiet echo inside himself; if he focused on them enough, he could feel the impatience and rage Levi was currently feeling while whatever it was he was doing. But another thought made dread curl in his stomach; could Levi feel Eren be scared? Could he feel the dread currently twisting in his gut? 

And the craving had not stopped. If anything, the voice inside his head had become louder when he wasn't in Levi's presence. He hoped Levi wasn't able to hear it, either. 

There was yet another thing he wondered about: would his craving – or better yet, his immunity – be shared with Levi now? He quickly came to a conclusion that no, Levi was not going to experience those things personally. Remembering what happened with Reiner and Bertholdt: when Reiner became infected, there was not a doubt in Eren's mind that Bertholdt would feel the loss of his mate, but the connection that the Etch created did not transfer the infection through. Bertholdt only became infected because Reiner had purposefully infected him. 

Midnight howled and Eren quickly shushed her, patting the young wolf. She was steadily growing, and it brought a small smile to his face. 

The smile quickly disappeared as soon as he realised another dreadful thought: the full moon was tomorrow. At this point, he had no worries for his own safety, but it was the safety of his friends that was on his mind. 

Well, that, and Levi. But it seemed that Levi was always on his mind; not that he minded. Being with Levi was easy; he relaxed in the vampire's presence and conversation – or teasing – always came naturally to them. Levi made him forget all that was wrong with the world, which was perhaps why he craved the vampire's presence so much. Their shared kisses and touches were an additional layer that he definitely enjoyed. 

Midnight howled yet again, this howl louder and more dangerous. Eren frowned at her, shushing her yet again at the same time he heard a branch crack in the distance. 

He froze, looking around carefully. They were in a forest not far from the lycan headquarters, and if he were to howl, reinforcements would be here within three minutes. 

But he recognised the smell. 

“Why do you bother hiding, Annie?” He spoke into the darkness. 

He had not expected her to be so close. The blonde vampire dropped down from a tree mere metres from him, a teasing smile etched on her face. He had allowed her to get too close; he definitely needed to get his head down from the clouds. 

“If you knew that I was here, why not run?” She eyed Midnight for a moment, finding the little wolf to be growling at her. 

Eren leaned down and pet the wolf, calming her down. “I might be interested in whatever the hell it is you want to say,” He replied with a shrug. “Or maybe I'm waiting for the perfect moment to rip your throat apart after what you did to a friend of mine.” The horrible sound Yuuki's mother's neck made when she died still echoed in his head. Eren shrugged, a smirk stretching on his lips, “Will you risk finding out?” 

She cocked her head. “I'm not afraid of you, Eren.” She told him simply. “You want to attack? Go for it. But I'll break your neck before you can even shift. Wouldn't it be easier to listen to what I have to say?” Even as she was saying those words, she had climbed up onto a branch, sitting down on it above him. It gave her the perfect position to both either attack or run. 

“Go ahead.” He said, but at the same time, his nails elongated, shifting midway into claws. Annie watched the movement carefully. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to kill her; he wanted to rip her apart, he wanted to watch the light disappear from her eyes, he wanted to watch the blood stain her clothes as she bled out. 

“I'm here to assure you that we won't break through the next wall.” She told him simply. 

He sneered, “Right.” He chuckled. “And the grass is blue.” 

She shrugged. “We can't. The defences are too high.” She told him. “But I'm also here to tell you that we'll do our very best to create trouble. And of course, going to Shiganshina is a mistake.” 

“Why do you say that?” 

“Because the secrets that your father protected were the very same secrets that got him killed.” She hissed. “And they'll get all of you killed if you go.” 

“Is that a threat?” Eren growled, stepping forward. “You dare to find me in the middle of nowhere and threaten me?” He added, his growl even louder. Midnight whimpered and stepped away, lying flat on the ground. “You're looking for a death wish, Annie.” He laughed bitterly. 

She shrugged. “Maybe I am.” She agreed. “There isn't much to live for; can you believe that?” She laughed lightly, looking around. “I don't understand you, Eren. You've been rejected by society because you're different. You've been taunted and threatened and tested on, and yet you still want to protect them.” 

“Because I know what is right, and I know that what you're doing is wrong.” 

“Is it truly wrong?” She asked him, her eyes narrowing. “It depends on the point of view.” She shrugged slightly. “From my point of view, even the Etch is wrong.” She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. “Making somebody go crazy for another person is reckless. I'm glad my mate won't know we're meant to be together.” She chuckled once more, a smirk lighting up her lips. “Although, I can't say Armin feels the same way.” 

Eren's eyes widened, his body freezing with shock. “You're lying!” He yelled at her. 

“Of course you would think that.” She rolled her eyes. “I've seen him enough times to be able to feel that pull. He hasn't seen me; he probably wouldn't feel it anyway.” She shrugged. “That's not why I'm here, though.” 

“Will Armin suffer if you die?” Eren growled. His claws had frozen, not sure what to do. 

“I bet you'd like to know.” She smirked. “Stop them from going to Shiganshina, Eren.” She returned to the topic at hand. It sounded like a threat, and Eren tensed at the thought all over again. “Help us. You can take Levi with you; we can find a way around him not being immune.” 

“I'm getting tired of your lies, Annie.” 

She frowned further. “Everybody will die in due time, Eren. With your help, we can simply make sure it's sooner rather than later.” She narrowed her eyes. “I'm offering you a helping hand, Eren. The longer you wait, the worse the craving gets. Especially since you blood-bonded with your mate.” 

“What does that have to do with anything?” 

“Subconsciously, your body is trying to hide it from him. The strain on your body from that alone will make you weaker to protect yourself against the craving. The more you hide from him, the weaker you become.” 

“Then I'll tell him!” 

Annie laughed, “Do you really think he will accept you? Do you really think Levi – Humanity's Strongest Soldier – will accept the fact that his mate is craving Rogue blood? That his mate is a monster?” She leaned forward. “Frankly, you should do yourself a favour and kill yourself before he has the chance to kill you.” She sneered. “I can help you control the craving.” She offered quietly. “But only if you help us in return.” 

He was caught between two negatives. If he agreed, he would be betraying the whole of humanity in order to help kill them all. He would be betraying Levi. But if he refused, he would be betraying Levi by lying to him, or simply betraying everyone as he slowly spiralled into insanity. 

“Give me time to think.” 

Annie said nothing to that; she seemed pleased enough with herself. She climbed back up the tree and then she was gone out of his sight, disappeared into the darkness. 

Midnight began barking again, but Eren didn't have the strength to silence her another time. 

He just wanted all of this to be over. He wanted Levi to wrap his arms around him and tell him that everything was going to be okay; he needed a distraction from reality. 

~~*~~*~~

He was absolutely sick of all the social interaction of today. It had completely drained him, he was annoyed and he just wanted to get back to Eren; he was also curious about the feelings he felt come through their connection, and there was a huge part of him wondering why Eren had been feeling all of this. 

The moment the door closed behind him, there were hands grabbing at his shirt, untucking it from his pants and pulling him forward. “Eren.” He breathed out, finding the bright orbs staring back at him in the darkness. He cupped Eren's face with both of his hands while the other pulled him closer, aligning their bodies. “Are you okay?” He muttered. 

“I'm fine.” Eren assured him, his breath already coming hard. “I've just been waiting.” A flirtatious smirk curled at his lips and Levi raised an eyebrow. 

He felt like he should have interrupted, questioned further, but then Eren was pulling at his shirt again, the buttons ripping off and falling to the ground as a strip of skin became revealed. 

"You're insatiable." Levi said, rolling his eyes. "That was one of my favourite shirts." He pointed out with a huff.

But there was this look in Eren's bright eyes, a look full of hunger and lust and mischief. All of it mixed in beautifully with the care and love Levi saw there, the very emotions that Eren always looked at him with. 

“Too bad.” Eren almost growled, his hands pulling at the cravat tied around his neck. Once the tedious piece of material was off, his lips connected with the skin on Levi's neck, sucking hard, biting down to leave his mark behind. An involuntary gasp left Levi's mouth, and then Eren's strong arms were wrapping around him, lifting him, shoving him up against the nearest wall. 

Why was he so lenient when it came to this kid? 

Levi's hand fisted into Eren's hair as he crushed their lips together. His tongue delved between Eren's lips, desperate to consume every flavour, every feel of that sinful mouth. Levi's fingers twisted in his hair – pulling – as his mouth slanted perfectly over the others', his legs tightening around Eren's waist, the desire quickly building inside his body.

Eren groaned against him, shoving him harder against the wall, his hips aligning with Levi's. Levi bit into his lower lip and gave it a playful tug, one that sent a shock of electricity straight through Eren's body. It was already stirring with desire, and the tightness of his pants was demanding his attention. 

Levi rolled his hips forward, giving just enough friction to tease. Eren gasped at the shock running over his body, the heat inside swelling as he felt the desire coursing through Levi; he was just as affected. 

Levi's hands left his hair to instead rake down the front of his shirt, pulling it apart in one smooth motion, buttons flying everywhere. There were a few quiet clinks as they hit the ground, followed by a throaty groan from Eren as Levi raked his nails down his mate's now exposed chest. 

Eren had never expected their first time to be slow and gentle; they were like a tightly coiled spring ever since they had set eyes upon each other. With each day, that spring tightened and tightened and now it was time for it to burst. 

Each kiss and touch blurred Eren's mind, the line between fantasy and reality quickly disappearing as he focused solely on Levi. He wanted to taste every inch of Levi's body, wanted to feel him squirm against him, wanted to be the one to cause the pleasure Levi was feeling. He wanted Levi, and the best part was – Levi was already his. 

With that burning, consuming thought, his hand slipped lower and drove their hips closer together. Levi's head fell back against the wall as a satisfied groan left his mouth and Eren watched the desire and lust quickly fill up his features as his aching cock throbbed against his own. Instinctively, his hips began to move forward, desperate to keep their bodies connected.

“Eren,” The whine came from Levi's mouth and it was so desperate and full of desire that Eren had to blink to make sure it was happening. “Eren,” He breathed out again. “The bed,” He added quickly, quietly, his hand once again fisting into Eren's hair. 

He began walking backwards, his mouth having claimed Levi's again, his mate's hands pushing and shoving at his shirt, trying to get it off. 

When the backs of his knees hit the bed, he landed on his back with Levi on top. Their bodies moulded perfectly, and Levi continued the torturous roll of his hips as Eren pulled at his shirt, quickly getting it off and throwing it out of the way. 

Levi's eyes skimmed to the abandoned clothing for just a second, his eyebrows furrowing, before he turned to Eren and the expression disappeared completely, his eyes lighting up with lust and desire and love. 

Levi's skin was creamy and smooth, stretched taunt over the rigid muscles that made up his well-sculpted chest and abdomen – the true physique of a warrior, a soldier who had trained heavily and worked his flesh into a condition that was downright deadly. And fucking hell, that was a turn on. Eren sat up, his mouth closing over one of Levi's nipples, satisfied as the other let out a hiss and arched into him. He gave it a quick lick before pinching it between his teeth, eliciting a lustful moan from Levi that sent shivers down and made his own cock even harder. 

Meanwhile, his hands fumbled with the buttons on Levi's pants. Once he got them opened, he pulled the zip down and pulled back, his lips claimed by Levi once more. Levi's fingers had become busy. Skilfully undoing the buttons on Eren's pants while Eren managed to pull off the rest of his own shirt, not watching where he threw it. A moment later, and they had gotten rid of their pants, messily making out on the bed right afterwards. 

Levi's hips grinded down against him and Eren moaned as he could feel the size of Levi's cock, pushing and grinding right up against him. Levi's eyes gave him a sensual look over, starting at his plump, swollen lips, leading down to the protruding collar bones, lower to his perfectly tanned chest, his eyes following the trail of hair leading down from his navel. 

Confidently, Levi kissed him again as his hand slid under his boxers, gripping his dick with skilful, knowing fingers. Eren moaned then, arching up into Levi, his hand pausing at the back of Levi's neck, his nails digging in. Levi grinned lazily; the muscles in his face were almost sore from it – he hasn't smiled so much in a long time. 

“Levi,” The moan that left Eren's mouth was sinful and Levi didn't waste any time pulling down Eren's boxers, Eren raised his hips to help them slide faster, moaning as the elastic dragged over his hard dick. And just like that Eren was naked and flushed beneath Levi, dick swollen and hard, and oh so hard. 

“Look at you,” Levi drawled, his hands firmly wrapping around Eren's cock and giving it a quick stroke. Eren closed his eyes, every breath a heavy inhale and exhale. “To think that mere hours ago, you blushed while unbuttoning my shirt.” He continued stroking his mate's dick in a slow rhythm, smirking as Eren jerked his hips to make him go faster. 

“H-Hanji was there.” Eren whispered, voice breaking as Levi ran his thumb over the slit. 

Levi leaned down, his lips right above Eren's, his hand continuing the torturous pace. “Oh?” He murmured, his voice deep and husky. “So you're not into exhibitionism, babe?”

“S-stop it.” Eren almost whined. His eyes opened, sparkling with lust and determination. He firmly placed his hands on Levi's hips, pulling down his boxers as he did.

He didn't realise that while he had been teasing Eren, he had also been teasing himself. Once his boxers were off, he quickly stood up and got rid of the last piece of clothing, not missing the longing look over Eren gave him. He motioned for Eren to move up the bed while he reached into one of his drawers, his fingers wrapping around the lube and then the condom. 

Eren perched up on his elbows, watching as Levi poured the lube over his fingers. Licking over his swollen lip, Levi looked up and gave him a smirk. “Hey, Eren,” He started, his other hand pushing at his mate's shoulder, making him lie down again. “How much do you love me again?” He murmured, pressing his whole body against Eren's, their cocks rubbing against each other. 

“Levi!” Eren's answer came in a moan. 

“That wasn't an answer,” He tutted, still grinning mischievously. 

“I love you. I fucking love you, Levi. Just - “ Eren's voice broke off as Levi's slick fingers brushed against his entrance. Eren moaned once Levi pressed one finger inside him. To feel those skilled, thin, fingers which were capable of killing, touching him so intimately was enough to drive him insane. Levi smirked at his reaction while Eren's hand reached up and knotted into Levi's hair, pulling him down for a hot kiss. 

He began pumping his finger slowly, watching Eren's body arch up into him. Eren's soft moans had quickly turned into impatient growls, and Levi slipped in his second finger, two fingers now working Eren open. Eren, in turn, took to trailing his lips down Levi's neck, leaving teasing kisses on the smooth skin and biting down from time to time, more often than not almost hard enough to leave a bruise. It would heal, and Levi growled each time Eren's teeth skimmed over his skin. He blamed that particular kink on what he was. 

He took his time. His own dick was calling for attention, but he wanted to revel in the feeling and sight of Eren writhing and squirming underneath him, grasping at his back and digging his nails in. He moaned as Eren's teeth pulled at his earlobe, his fingers running up his spine. 

A hot, sizzling warmth spread over Eren's body as Levi added another finger. An especially loud groan left his mouth when Levi's fingers hit just the right spot and he arched into those skilled fingers. 

“Levi - “ He whined, his breath coming short, his hand gripping at the back of Levi's neck. He licked his lips in anticipation, writhing in impatience as Levi rolled on a condom and gave Eren a heated look, such a hot, passionate look of pure lust that Eren thought he would be coming there and then. 

The head of Levi's cock pressed against the tightness of his entrance and Eren arched his back as Levi thrust into the exquisite heat, a growl leaving his own lips. He stilled for a moment and watched Eren panting beneath him, looking at him with an expression caught somewhere between lust and entertainment. 

“You're acting like this is my first time,” Eren breathed out, planting his feet firmly on the bed. He shoved at Levi, turning at the same time so that they swapped positions, with Eren straddling him. Levi's dick pressed against that spot again and his breath hitched. 

“My apology,” Levi drawled, mischief sparking in his eyes as he watched the dominant position Eren had taken. Levi sat up, running his nails down Eren's spine, eagerly watching as his mate lifted his hips and then dropped down again, moaning quietly. “And yet you're so tight.” Levi groaned, burying his own face in Eren's neck, leaving teasing kisses and bites as he did. 

Levi's arms wrapped around him, pressing them closer together. Eren quickened his pace, his breaths quickening as his nails dug into Levi's shoulders, moaning his name under his breath. He bared his neck for Levi and Levi's eyes widened, before he placed his lips on Eren's smooth skin. His teeth sharpened for just a moment, but then he left a lingering kiss on Eren's skin, instead kissing and licking down Eren's collar bone. 

Levi snapped his hips up, hitting Eren's prostate over and over, making his mate moan and grip his shoulders tighter. “Levi.” 

“Eren, just - “ He cut off as Eren rolled his hips again, harder and faster. “Fuck.” Eren crashed their lips together again, Levi growling into his mouth and Eren's tongue thrust into his. He bit at Eren's lip, lapping up the drop of blood escaping and humming at the taste of his mate's blood on his tongue. 

Eren moaned, his legs tightening around Levi, bringing them closer together. “Come on,” Levi growled, his eyes closing tightly, his nails digging into Eren's hips. 

Eren's rhythm stuttered, body shivering as he threw his head back. “Levi.” He groaned, his come painting Levi's and his own stomach white, clenching around Levi. Eren's body instantly relaxed while Levi flipped them over, getting Eren on his back. 

Eren pulled him close, his mouth leaving kisses up his neck while Levi thrust a few more times, coming soon after with a groan and Eren's name on his lips. 

He pulled up, wrapping up the condom and throwing it away. He then fetched a cloth and wiped himself clean, coming back to the bed to do the same for Eren. His mate had relaxed into the pillows, his eyes heavy-lidded. Levi chuckled as he got back into bed. 

“Love you.” Eren murmured, his arms wrapping around Levi and pulling him close with a deft movement. Levi grumbled as Eren pressed his back to his own chest, his lips leaving a few soft kisses on Levi's back. 

“Gods, you're a wreck.” Levi commented. “Really don't have the stamina I thought you did, kid.” He teased. 

Eren chuckled, the chuckle vibrating through his chest and to Levi. “It's been a long day.” He murmured in reply. 

Levi sighed in agreement. “Love you too.” He murmured, pushing closer to Eren's warm embrace. 

Eren left a few more kisses on his back and Levi felt his lips pull up into a smile as they pressed to his skin again. “You have a really nice back.” Eren murmured, muffled. 

“Just go to sleep, Eren.” Levi huffed. Tomorrow was the full moon; tomorrow he would not spend the night wrapped in Eren's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was awkward as hell. But I hope it was at least alright.   
> Of course, there could never be a chapter of just pure, cute smut. What do you take me for? I manage to put angst in anywhere.   
> What do you think Eren will tell Annie? Any comments about the real protagonist of this story aka Midnight? Is Annie lying about her mate?   
> Right, now that all this lovey dovey crap is out the way, I can get onto the angst and the blood. Ah, I love the smell of blood and dead bodies in the air.   
> ^ Not literally. I'm not THAT messed up.   
> But yeah, if you can be bothered, I actually wrote a [Christmas ereri one shot](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2766962), so have fun. I know I did.   
> Tumblr: [surveycorpscastiel](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)  
> Thanks for reading!


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His last clue was Moblit himself. During the expedition, Moblit was reluctant to speak about Eren, and he was clearly lying when he did. And now, Levi also realised that Moblit didn't tense up at the sight of him – he tensed up at the sight of Eren.

“Morning.” 

It's barely a whisper, murmured soft and sweet against the back of his neck. 

“Morning.” 

It is. Levi can see the sun rays shining at the closed blinds, but he still has to narrow his eyes as he looks straight at the light source in the room. 

“Are you okay?” Eren murmured, leaving a quick kiss at Levi's shoulder blade. 

“It's the full moon tonight.” 

“I see you possess absolutely no positivity, even after great sex.” 

“Great?” Levi chuckled. “Who said it was great?” He muttered, turning his head to watch Eren. 

Eren narrowed his eyes, a playful smile pulling at his lips. “Best you ever fucking had.” He muttered, leaning forward and closing the gap between their lips, his tongue swiping at Levi's bottom lip instantly as they kissed, biting and dragging Levi's lip with his teeth right afterwards. 

“You have morning breath.” Levi groaned, pulling away and sitting up, bringing his arms above his head and stretching. 

“Oh Levi, you're so romantic.” Eren drawled, his eyes lazily scanning over Levi's smooth flesh as the vampire stretched. 

“Damn right.” Levi murmured before sighing and getting out of bed, grabbing a pair of underwear and putting it on. “Are you actually going to do anything today?” Levi spoke, a teasing note to his voice. He turned towards Eren while he grabbed a freshly cleaned shirt out of his drawer. 

“I'm enjoying myself right here.” Eren stretched, resting his arms behind his head as he watched Levi walk around the room to gather pieces of clothing. “You look pretty good just standing there. I see why songs are written about you.” 

Levi turned to look at him with a roll of his eyes. “The songs are written by delusional people who worship my blade, not my ass.” He pointed out. 

Eren grinned. “They're missing out.” He commented. “Maybe I should write a song about your ass.” He pondered outloud. He hummed a few notes, “He looks so perfect standing there...” He paused, pursing his lips and thinking, “Just standing there in his underwear.” He sang quietly. 

“Clearly a masterpiece.” Levi commented with a chuckle. “Have you ever even been near an instrument?” 

“I have!” Eren argued quickly before he shrugged. “I broke two guitars, yeah, but at least I tried!” He sat up, grinning. “I think it's safe to say I won't be a musician.” 

“I tried at piano at some point.” Levi shrugged, now picking through drawers, his lips pursing as he went through Eren's clothes. “I was pretty hopeless.” He admitted. 

“That's a lie!” Eren was quick to argue. “You're probably amazing at it. You seem to be amazing at everything you do...” He trailed off. “The first time you picked up a blade, the Rogues screamed and ran. The first time you cleaned, you turned the whole building white. The first time you had sex, you lasted the whole night.” Eren chuckled, teasing. “I wouldn't even be surprised.” 

“You keep putting me on some sort of a pedestal.” Levi pointed out with a huff. “I'm just a bloodsucker who is obsessed with things being clean and occasionally swears too much.” 

“Occasionally?” Eren laughed from the bed. “You forgot that you're also short.” 

“Listen here you fucking little shit - “ Levi turned to look at him, eyes narrowed. 

“Of course, you only occasionally swear...” Eren muttered. 

Levi sighed and diverted his gaze to look at the ceiling. “Gods give me the patience to put up with him.” He murmured low but Eren laughed anyway. Levi shook his head and grabbed two piles of clothes he had just picked up. “I was thinking you'd be up for shower sex, but if you're not up for it - “ 

Eren's eyes widened as he quickly stumbled out of the bed. “I'm up for it!” He quickly exclaimed. “I'm up!” He unwrapped himself from the covers and grinned as he followed Levi through to the bathroom. 

Levi's eyes scanned over him quickly, stifling a laugh as they rested on a particular part of him. “I can see that.” He murmured.

“Go hard or go home.” Eren grinned as he shut the bathroom door behind him. 

“One more pun and you'll go home.” 

“Fine. Fine. I'm finished.” 

“Already?” 

“You said no puns!” 

~~*~~*~~

“Hey fuck birds!” Hanji yelled over the cafeteria noise, multiple heads turning to look at both them and the crazy woman that had just skipped in, holding hands with a grinning Mike, stifling his laugh under his breath. Hanji pulled over a seat and collapsed in it just beside Levi. She looked between the two of them silently, cocking her head, her eyes twitching. “So who bottomed?” 

Eren choked on a piece of his sandwich, coughing as Levi patted at his back. “Gods, Hanji, you'll kill the kid.” He muttered as Eren grabbed a drink and quickly gulped it down. 

“Ah, so it was the puppy who took it up the ass.” 

“Oh my Gods, Hanji...” Eren buried his head in his hands, his skin quickly turning a soft crimson. 

“Aw, he blushes!” Hanji cooed, elbowing Mike. “Remember when you blushed every time after we had sex in Levi's room?” 

“Wait, what?” 

“...What?” 

“What the fuck did you just say?” Levi growled, his eyes narrowing. 

“I was just saying that we're not on the wall tonight. I'll need you with me in the lab.” Hanji grinned before standing up from her seat. “Well, have a good day!” She quickly waved, moving away quickly as Levi's glare became deadlier with each passing second. 

Eren chuckled into his hands, still keeping his face covered. “Do you think she's serious?” He murmured, finally lifting his head and looking at Levi. 

“For her own sake, she better fucking not be.” Levi almost growled, picking up his cup and sipping on his tea. 

“You hold your cup really weird.” 

“Your face is really weird.” 

“Really mature, Levi. Really mature.” 

“Hey, Eren!” Connie's voice was loud and as Eren looked up, he spotted his friend walking down the hallway, holding hands with Sasha, two more vampires following behind. Connie didn't even hesitate before he took the seat in front of Eren just as Levi raised an eyebrow. 

Sasha took the seat beside him, releasing his hand to begin eating her own food. Behind them, Historia and Ymir pulled up two other chairs and joined the table. 

As they began talking amongst themselves, Levi began to slip out, feeling like he wasn't supposed to be a part of this conversation. But as soon as he had moved too far, Eren's hand was gripping his own. “Stay.” Eren whispered, leaning over to place his lips by his mate's ear. “Please?” 

Levi sighed, his shoulders slacking as he turned back and poured himself more tea. As if putting up with one kid wasn't enough, he thought. But then, he found himself slowly smiling as the conversation grew, and he couldn't help but be grateful that he ended up with Eren as his mate, nobody else. 

~~*~~*~~

“Corporal! We have a possible Rogue spotted!” Moblit came running down the hallway, and in all honesty, Levi felt slightly sorry for him; the guy seemed to be running around 24/7. Moblit seemed to hesitate for a moment once he saw Levi standing there with Eren by his side. “Hanji is waiting in the yard, already.” He breathed out. 

“Are you sure?” Levi asked quickly. He looked down at his watch for a moment: 2:38PM. 

“Positive.” 

Levi nodded quickly and turned to Eren, planting a quick kiss on his lips. “I'll be back soon.” He promised. “If anything happens,” He tapped at his temple, “Try to send a message. If it doesn't work, get somebody. Don't do anything stupid before I come back.” 

Eren nodded obediently, a smile pulling at his lips as he watched Levi jog down the hallway. Moblit turned back to look once, and Eren couldn't help but be confused by the fear he saw in Moblit's eyes. 

Once Levi was in the front yard, he immediately grabbed his horses' reins from Hanji and got on. “Ready, shorty?” Hanji grinned at him. 

He didn't say anything, he simply broke into a gallop. He had no time to waste. 

It was only during the journey that Levi became curious about something. “What's up with Moblit?” He asked Hanji. 

Hanji shrugged. “What do you mean?” 

“He seems jumpy.” Levi commented. 

“You don't normally pick up on those things.” Hanji commented in return. 

“That's only because he seems to be jumpy when he's around me.” 

“That doesn't make any sense.” Hanji replied. 

“I agree.” Levi murmured. “Hanji do you think...” He trailed off, not sure how to proceed. “Do you think Eren might be hiding something?” He felt horrible just thinking about it, but something seemed to be stirring in his head and he couldn't let it go now. 

“He's seventeen, of course he's hiding something.” She chuckled, pulling the hood lower over her face and bringing a scarf up to cover her neck and bottom of her face. 

“You know what I mean.” Levi murmured. 

“Why do you think he is?” She asked. “Did fucking him magically wake up your senses or perception?” She sneered. 

“Fuck off.” Levi spat, but there was no real venom in it. “When he had a panic attack, he kept saying he was a monster and that blood-bonding would help.” 

“That doesn't automatically mean something is wrong.” Hanji pointed out silently. 

“I know.” Levi admitted. “But then, Erwin's been on my ass about how much I know about Eren...” 

“You know Erwin can be over-protective. He's adapted that 'daddy' role of the Survey Corps.” Hanji sniggered. 

“Right.” Levi muttered. “But... Wherever Eren goes, the Rogues seem to be after him.” He started, slowly. “I've seen what the Rogues fight like, Hanji.” He turned to look at Hanji for a moment, helpless. “If they wanted him dead, he would be.” 

“There are all just suspicions, Levi. You're being paranoid.” Perhaps he was. Perhaps Hanji was right. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He hadn't paid attention to it before, but it was becoming clearer now. 

His last clue was Moblit himself. During the expedition, Moblit was reluctant to speak about Eren, and he was clearly lying when he did. And now, Levi also realised that Moblit didn't tense up at the sight of him – he tensed up at the sight of Eren. 

~~*~~*~~

A Rogue being spotted was no coincidence. If they have managed to stay hidden all this time, Eren was absolutely sure that this was a sign. A sign that was definitely aimed at him; Levi was his mate, it was obvious Eren would get the message of a Rogue being spotted. 

Eren felt bad. He had planned on visiting Jean before the lycan would be moved to the Garrison headquarters to be kept in the prison; the full moon would still undoubtedly affect him but they couldn't predict just how badly. But this could not be delayed. Jean would still be here when he came back. 

“Eren! There you are!” 

He turned around, pausing in the hallway. He spotted Petra coming towards him, a friendly smile plastered on her face. He turned back around for a moment, grimacing; what the hell did she want? He has had a few decent conversations with Petra during the entire time, and this definitely didn't put them on 'buddy buddy' status. 

“I've been looking for you.” She said once she stopped before him. 

“Here I am.” He shrugged awkwardly, giving her a faint smile. 

“Are you busy?” She asked him. 

He shook his head 'no.' “Shouldn't you be on the Rogue hunt?” He asked instead. 

“The whole squad is there.” She explained. “I'm supposed to stay behind and compile a list of possible new squad members.” She huffed, rolling her eyes, clearly not happy about staying behind either. “But I thought we could hang out.” 

“Hang out?” He echoed. 

She smiled softly. “I'd like to get to know Levi's mate a bit better.” She admitted. Eren wasn't sure what to make of that. There was no bitterness or jealousy in her tone; but she couldn't have just been friendly either, right? 

“Sure.” He finally replied, pausing long enough to rack his brain for an excuse, but unfortunately not finding one. “I'm on my way to the market.” He said instead. “I could probably use some help gift-shopping.” 

Petra's eyes lit up. “Then you've got the right girl.” She grinned, saluting him jokingly. 

Needless to say, he spent the entire horse ride to the market trying to come up with excuses to ditch Petra. He was entirely sure that Annie would find him once he showed himself in public, but with Petra by his side, he was also entirely sure Annie would not make a show. Or even worse, she would make a show and kill Petra along the way. 

“So, who are we shopping for?” For a moment, he wondered since when the hell did this become a 'we.' 

“Erm, Armin's birthday is in like three days.” He quickly replied. 

“Eren!” She huffed. “And you've left his birthday present shopping until now?” She rolled her eyes, seemingly disgusted with the action. “Men...” She sighed. 

He gave her a cheeky grin in return as they left their horses at the nearest stable. 

“Where do you think the Rogue's been spotted?” He asked tentatively as they made their way around the market. 

“It was quite a distance from here.” She answered, picking up a shirt and looking closely at it. “We should be fine.” She added with a shrug. “And hey, if anything, I have you to protect me, right?” She grinned teasingly. 

“I think it's the other way around...” He muttered, looking around the stalls. For a moment, he considered doing what he falsely suggested he was to do, but there was a pressing feeling in his chest as he understood that meeting with Annie was definitely more important. 

“How have you been settling in at the Survey Corps Headquarters?” Petra asked him. 

“It's not too bad.” He replied. “I mean, obviously, some people aren't too happy about me being there but most have been pretty welcoming.” 

“Nothing bad happened, right?” She asked, and he turned to look at her from the corner of his eye. There was a sparkle of something in her own orbs, and he wondered for a moment as to what her true reason for being there was. 

“Nothing out of the ordinary.” He gave her a plain answer.

“So,” Petra started instead and he almost sighed, recognising that tone. “How are things going with Levi?” 

“I'd like to think they're going well.” He gave her an awkward answer. “You, erm - “ He started, scratching the back of his neck. “You two used to go out, right?” 

Petra's cheeks seemed to turn crimson for just a moment as she looked away. “For a while, yeah.” She whispered. “But it was a long time ago!” She quickly added, turning to look at him. “It was before I realised Auruo - “ She broke off, and Eren didn't blame her. 

“So, you should probably know what Levi would like for his birthday.” Eren spoke instead. 

Petra gave him a small smile. “I might have some ideas.” She replied. 

“Thank Gods,” Eren muttered, adding a roll of his eyes. “The man is so hard to shop for. Like, do I get him cleaning supplies? Do I get him a new blade?” He chuckled. “Only things that come to mind.” 

And then he saw it, a flash of blue in the corner of his eyes. Thankfully, Petra didn't, but the girl that had passed by the two of them pulled her hood lower over her face and then turned into an alley. This was it. 

“I think I have just the thing!” Petra told him with a grin. 

“That's great!” He grinned before making an uncomfortable face. “But my bladder is calling.” He added silently which made her giggle. “I'll meet you over there in a moment?” He pointed to a couple stalls the opposite way and she nodded with a smile. 

He, instead, followed down the trail and turned into the darker alley. 

The moment he did, there was a forearm pressing against his chest, sharp claws poised underneath his chin and verging to his neck. “What is it, Eren? You need back-up now?” Annie snarled, keeping her face mostly covered from sunlight underneath the hood. It was more dangerous to her than others. 

He snarled in return, shoving her off. When he did, his muscles gave a painful twitch and he frowned, realising that the full moon was quickly approaching. “I don't need back-up.” He spoke defiantly. “She wouldn't leave me alone.” He rolled his eyes. 

“I don't need your life story.” Annie snapped. “Have you considered my offer?” 

“I did.” He replied simply. 

She paused for a moment, raising an eyebrows. “Well?” She finally snapped. 

“What does having my help include?” He asked her carefully. 

“We want to take down Wall Rose.” She shrugged simply. 

“I'm just one guy.” Eren huffed. “I can't do that.” 

Annie pursed her lips for a moment, scanning over him before a smirk stretched on her lips. “I'm sure you'll find a way.” She told him before she paused again, something sparkling in her eyes. “Actually,” She started. “I'm pretty sure you've already thought about it.” 

And he did. She wasn't wrong. “It's gonna require a lot of teamwork.” He shrugged slightly. 

“That, we can do.” She assured him. “Is that a yes, then?” 

Eren sighed, gritting his teeth, thinking over everything in his head once again. “Levi.” He spoke. “I want Levi safe. Levi, and a few of my friends.” 

Annie frowned. “I can agree with bringing Levi along, as long as you control his temper and keep him away from a blade.” She told him. “But the rest of your friends...” She trailed off into a teasing smile. 

“I already thought of the plan.” Eren pressed on. 

Annie hummed, leaning back on the alley wall. “You make a tempting argument.” She told him. “Let's say I agree: what then?” 

Eren clenched his fists. “I help you bring down Wall Rose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, yeah, the full moon happens at the end of this chapter. I just chose to omit it since nothing particularly exciting happens and I really wanted to get this chapter up. Sorry for the long wait.   
> Merry Christmas, guys! I hope you have an amazing holiday :D Me? I'll be stuffing my mouth with all the food at my grandparents house. Polish grandparents take Christmas food to another level, man. God, let's not forget all the cakes damn.   
> I know this chapter wasn't too exciting. Sorry. Hopefully, the next one will be better.   
> What did you think about it?   
> And omg, surprisingly few of you commented about the smut of last chapter. You were more preoccupied with Annie and Armin ahah  
> Thanks for reading!   
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/) \+ I track the tag fic: etch


	27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The smile was immediately back on Eren's face. “Great!” He replied and then walked out of the bathroom, with just the towel wrapped around his waist. Levi rolled his eyes and turned back to the mirror; he was starting to feel like Eren was the bossy one in this relationship. And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

“What are the figures?” Levi spoke, one of his hands holding a drink while the other remained hidden under the bed covers, seeking warmth even after Eren vacated the bed. 

“We have twenty five infected. More or less the average.” Hanji told him. Her eyebrows furrowed suddenly, “None of them seem to be showing signs of immunity.” Levi sighed and nodded once, turning away and towards the sound of the shower turning on. 

Once the shower drowned out their speech, he was up from the bed and getting into Hanji's personal space. “What did Petra say?” He whispered. 

Hanji looked stuck between wanting to answer and scold him. “You're an absolute nightmare.” She hissed, leaning closer to his face, pointing a finger at him accusingly. “You had your freaking mate followed! How does that look, Levi?!” 

“It wasn't as much as to follow him, as to protect him.” He snapped. “I don't like you suggesting I don't trust Eren.” He growled. 

“That's what it looks like.” Hanji hissed in return. “If you want to know something, just ask him.” She huffed, rolling her eyes and tapping her foot on the ground. “Petra said nothing was out of the ordinary. He was birthday shopping.” 

“Ooh, what did he get me?” 

“Are you freaking serious?” Hanji raised her eyebrows. 

“I might as well use the presented opportunity.” He gave her a teasing smirk. “So, she thinks there is nothing out of the ordinary.” He clarified. 

“Absolutely nothing.” 

“What about you?” He asked instead. “Did you run more tests?” 

Hanji pursed her lips. “I'm about to. We caught a lycan Rogue in the morning when the full moon ended, but he's yet to see any testing.” She huffed. “If you bothered me less, I could actually leave to do what I'm supposed to.” 

“I forgot experimenting on things is your speciality.” Levi shrugged. “I thought it was all the bullshit that spews out of your mouth.”

Hanji narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at him accusingly. “You better watch what you say.” She warned teasingly. “I have enough mixtures and solutions to make sure you never have sex with Eren again.” She mocked. She gave him a quick look over and sighed. “Although, yeah, you have to stop working yourself. It's not very good on your mental health, but I would be lying if I said it didn't work for your body.” She poked a finger at his muscled stomach and grinned as he swatted her hand away. 

“Sometimes I'm not sure whether I want to kill you or... just put you in a cage and leave you there.” He murmured. “What about Jean?” He asked instead, quickly. 

“No change.” Hanji told him. “From what I've heard. Might make more sense to speak to his friends.” She shrugged slightly. 

He nodded. “Thanks.” He muttered, shoving at her shoulder. “Now get the fuck out.” 

“Just be careful; shower floors are slippery.” 

“Get out!” 

She left the room cackling as Levi headed towards the bathroom, slipping into the room just as Eren stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. Once he saw Levi, he flinched and almost fell backwards. “I thought you were Hanji.” He breathed out, a hand on his chest. 

“That's offensive.” Levi commented. “I'm much better looking and definitely less annoying.” 

“Debatable.” Eren murmured, a smirk pulling at his lips. 

Levi narrowed his eyes at him, “You little shit.” He murmured as Eren came to stand before him, leaning down to press a quick kiss to Levi's lips. “I'm glad you weren't as stupid this time around.” Levi muttered against his lips, referring to the full moon that had ended just a few hours prior. 

Eren smile twitched but a second later he grinned wider, and Levi told himself he just imagined it. “I couldn't afford to waste time writhing on a bed in pain.” He shrugged casually, his hand skimming down to grab Levi's ass cheekily. 

Levi rolled his eyes but the smile slowly faded away. “I have to meet with Erwin. We need to get rid of the Rogues before we even attempt to go to Shiganshina.” He muttered, leaning up and quickly kissing Eren again before he stepped away and reached for his comb. 

Eren's smile faded and he bit down on his lip. “Right.” He murmured. “I have to see Armin.” He paused in his steps and turned around. “Oh, and Mikasa said Yuuki's been asking about you a lot recently.” Eren grinned, passing on the message. “You've not been a very good uncle.” He teased. 

“I'm not his uncle.” Levi snapped. “He's just some kid. I do have more important things in my schedule.” Eren frowned at his words and Levi sighed, realising how harsh it sounded. “I'll try to see him.” He corrected himself, defeated under Eren's stern gaze. 

The smile was immediately back on Eren's face. “Great!” He replied and then walked out of the bathroom, with just the towel wrapped around his waist. Levi rolled his eyes and turned back to the mirror; he was starting to feel like Eren was the bossy one in this relationship. And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. 

~~*~~*~~

There was a quick, rushed knock on the door and then it burst open, causing Armin to jump and turn towards it. “Armin! There you are!” Eren breathed, closing the door behind him and leaning back on it. 

Armin hastily let go of Jean's hand and turned towards Eren with a raised eyebrow. “I haven't moved from this room since we came back.” Armin pointed out, stifling a yawn. “What is it, Eren?” 

“We have a problem.” 

Armin's eyes turned wide and he became alerted. “What happened?” 

“Nothing.” Eren huffed. “And that's the problem.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Armin spoke, his voice sharper than he intended. He sighed and stood up, approaching Eren; Eren didn't look best either. There were bags under his eyes and there was a glint of fear in his teal-green orbs. 

Eren sighed and grabbed at the material of his shirt, pulling it sideways and exposing his shoulder blade. There, Armin spotted a dark wound littering Eren's skin. 

“You have a problem because Levi was too rough with you?” Armin asked blankly. 

“What?” Eren's eyes widened. “This wasn't Levi!” He spluttered. “I came back with this.”

Armin's eyes widened as he understood what Eren was saying. The darker skin around the bruise only meant one thing: Rogue blood came in contact with Eren's own. “You got infected.” He whispered. “You should be in bed.” 

“That's my point, Armin.” Eren sighed, letting go of his shirt and letting it go to its original place. “I got infected, but I don't feel any different. There is no pain.” He sighed again, shrugging. “If anything, I feel even better than ever.” 

“Eren, don't be stupid.” Armin scolded, shoving at Eren's shoulder and towards the door. “You should go and rest.” 

“Armin, I'm serious.” And he was. The look in Eren's eyes told him as much; there was not a glint of joke in there. “That's not normal, right?” He whispered after a moment of silence. 

Armin opened his mouth to reply, but the words suddenly got caught in his throat as he saw the expression on Eren's face. Eren was truly terrified; and Armin wasn't sure what made him feel this way. This was different, yes, but who was to say it was bad? For Eren to be terrified to this extent, there had to be something Armin was missing. Or, that he wasn't told. 

“Eren?” He spoke up quietly. “What are you keeping from me?” 

Eren's eyes widened for a split second. “Why would you think I'm keeping something from you?” He asked. “I've told you more than I've told anybody else!” Eren spluttered. “Even more than my damn mate!” He needed to get his feelings in check. He felt a wave of worry overcome his body, and he knew that the worry was coming from Levi; Levi must have felt his distress. 

“Eren,” Armin sighed, shaking his head softly. “I can't help you if I don't know what it is that you're doing.” 

Eren shook his head slowly. There were many things that were wrong. Where was he even supposed to start? 

“You should stay here with Jean.” He spoke instead. 

“Eren!” Armin raised his voice. “This isn't a joke. If something is happening, I need to know.” He turned back to look at Jean lying still in the bed for a moment before he turned to Eren again. “I've lost enough of my friends. If there is anything that I can do to stop losing you, I need to know it.” 

Eren furrowed his eyebrows at Armin's words. “You're not losing me.” He spoke simply. 

“You don't see it. There's something eating away at you and I can see it, Eren.” Armin told him sadly. 

Eren's breath hitched and he took a step back, looking away. How could he tell Armin about the cravings? How could he tell Armin about his body accepting Rogue blood? How could he tell Armin that he was losing his mind, forgetting parts of his day? How could he tell Armin that his best friend's desired mate was an evil Rogue? How could he tell Armin that he was working with the Rogues? 

But that, perhaps, was where he would start. 

“Annie came to me.” Eren told him. “They want me to help bring down Wall Rose. And I agreed.” 

~~*~~*~~

“Levi! Always a joy to have you around!” Hanji teased as he walked into the room. In the corner of his eye, he curiously watched Moblit tense before he attempted to sneakily exit the room. That was all the confirmation Levi needed that something was definitely not right. 

“Did you find anything?” He asked, ignoring Hanji's remark. The day had been dragging on; the meeting with Erwin had been a waste of time as no further accidents involving the Rogues occurred; the training exercises were boring and draining; the paper work was, as always, full of bullshit and way too long. And then he felt Eren's feelings spike, and something was wrong, but it was such a short feeling that Levi chose to ignore it. Eren was a very expressive, emotional person, after all. 

“I think I did,” Hanji told him seriously. “But I'm not sure if it's good or bad.” 

“Show me.” He stepped closer and Hanji grabbed a few samples before motioning him over to the microscope. 

“Here,” She leaned back and motioned for him to look down. When he did, she continued explaining, “This is a sample of Eren's blood. I mixed it with Rogue blood and observed the cells killing off the intruder. His blood kills off the infection.” 

He nodded as she swapped samples. “We know that already.” He pointed out. 

“Exactly.” She answered. “That's why I never thought of going further with it.” She motioned for him to look down the microscope again. “Here is the same sample of Eren's blood. Once again, I added Rogue blood. The process was faster.” 

“So he got rid of the infection quicker.” Levi murmured. “Just how it happened.” 

Hanji nodded. “I've done it some more.” She continued. “And that's when the process changes.” She scowled. She slipped in another slide and motioned for him to look down. “Here.” 

When he looked down, he wasn't sure what he was looking at. The cells were darker, and messy and nothing like the blood cells he has watched a moment ago. “What the hell is this?” 

“This is still the same sample of Eren's blood.” Hanji told him. “Some infections later.” 

Levi's eyes widened. “So he's not immune.” He said. 

“Oh, he is.” Hanji admitted. “But after a certain point, his blood stopped fighting off the intruder and instead, fused with it.” Levi's eyes widened at Hanji's words. “I don't know how that would affect Eren.” Hanji told him honestly. “His body accepting Rogue blood could be good. But the side effects – and there are always side effects – are unknown.” 

“So what the fuck am I supposed to do with all this information?” Levi snapped. 

“I'll notify Eren of this.” Hanji told him and he nodded his approval. “But in the long-run, I don't know what to expect.” 

“So we make sure he doesn't get infected again.” Levi said sharply. “It's as easy as that.” He shrugged and turned away. 

Hanji sighed, still scowling. “I guess.” She muttered. 

“I mean,” Levi turned sharply towards her again. “People go their whole lives without being infected! Why should keeping Eren from doing so be any harder?” 

A knock came on the door and they both turned to look at it. Hanji called a 'come in!' and the door opened, revealing someone Levi haven't seen in a long time. 

Rico Brzenska stood in the doorway, her eyes cleverly looking in between the two vampires. “You've both been summoned to a meeting.” She told them clearly. 

“Why the fuck are you in the vampire headquarters?” Levi snapped. 

Rico rolled her eyes. “I don't enjoy being here.” She told him sharply. “I'm on orders from Commander Dawk and Commander Smith. You're both being summoned and I'm required to take you to the meeting.” 

At the mention of Erwin's name, Levi frowned. Erwin and Nile at the same meeting? “What's going on?” Hanji voiced his thoughts. 

Rico rolled her eyes. “You'll find out once we get there.” 

~~*~~*~~

It was a very fragile system, all of this. It needed one person on the inside, capable and important enough to get close enough, and then the walls would be collapsing like dominoes.

There were two gates in Wall Rose, but with only one malfunctioning, the cities inside would be doomed. The Rogues would take over the land twice as quickly as they did when Wall Maria fell. 

So Eren's plan was simple: take out one gate. But just because the plan sounded simple, did not mean the task at hand was. The gate was protected at all costs, and anybody without the proper authority to even be near the gate mechanism was at a risk of being put in front of the military court.

Only one person was needed to break the mechanism and doom the gate to be open forever. They had four. It was a simple enough plan; the others were simply distractions. 

“Loaded with silver.” Eren spoke as he pressed the gun to Annie's hand. “It won't work on vampires much, but the lycans we meet should be easy to stop with it. If a vampire stops you, aim for the head. It can still critically injure.” 

“I know that.” Annie snapped. “I was a part of the military.” She hissed. 

“And our deal?” 

She checked over the gun, quickly eyeing the bullets inside and then looking up at him. “Reiner is ready to intervene at the given moment. The moment that gate goes down, he goes to the rescue of your friends.” 

“Fine.” Eren muttered and then inhaled a sharp breath as he threw the hood over his head and watched Annie do the same. The people closest to guarding the gate right now were vampires, and Eren had the perfect distraction. If they were lycans, it probably wouldn't have worked. 

They began walking down the busy market place, heading towards the gate. He caught the gaze of a passer-by but said nothing, opting for simply continuing down the path. The mechanism was placed inside the short tunnel that ended with the gate. Getting into that tunnel wasn't the hard part; it was getting past all the guards around it. 

Annie whistled low and somewhere to the side, Eren watched a head perk up. Bertholdt's green eyes caught Eren's for a moment before they diverted to Annie. They needed a distraction, and having the largest lycan Eren had ever seen suddenly show up was definitely helpful; but Eren also argued against any civilians getting hurt by their hand. It was stupid, but they agreed. Eren was the distraction. 

Because once the Survey Corps soldiers spotted Eren – Corporal Levi's blood-bound mate – being attacked by one of the Rogues, the chances were they would abandon their posts within seconds. 

Annie approached forward, hiding herself cleverly on a rooftop closest to the gate. Eren turned into a side alley and was quickly approached by Bertholdt. Eren sighed and gave him a quick nod, making one of his own claws lengthen for a moment. He dragged the claw down his own arm, hissing and flinching at the burn of the wound, watching the blood quickly soak into his shirt. 

He then looked up at Bertholdt and without a word, set off running towards the main street. 

“Get out of the way! Run!” 

He shoved people out of the way as he crashed into body after body, heading towards the gate. He continued yelling, things such as 'There's a Rogue!' to 'Get out of here!'. He should have really taken acting as a career choice. 

It was only once he was closing in on the gate guards that people began taking in his appearance and began murmuring between themselves. Out of breath, he crashed into one of the guards and clung onto the vampires. “Help me.” He breathed out. “Rogue.” 

The guard suddenly became alarmed, calling for the reinforcements to be cautious and it was that time that Bertholdt chose to intervene. 

Screams echoed along the streets as humans began scurrying like mice, running towards their houses or the first cover they saw. The huge burgundy furred wolf stood snarling in the middle of the street, attracting all the attention. For a moment, Eren watched the soldier's eyes widen with recognition before he yelled out for the others to engage. 

One after another, Eren watched the soldiers stupidly rush forward to fight the wolf and fail miserably. Bertholdt had been in the military, otherwise he wouldn't have been outside near the walls. Eren also heard that he had come third in the top ten trainees, too. In addition, Bertholdt's wolf form was twice the size of any other average lycan, and though Eren silently wondered why that was, blaming it on the immunity seemed the easiest. 

But not all soldiers left. And Annie's eyes were a piercing blue in the darkness, watching him and waiting for him to get rid of the rest. 

He didn't want to hurt anyone, but that was also why his own gun was not normal. Instead, he had a tranquillizer; Hanji had told him multiple times that she used the very same one for her experiments with Rogues, and it packed enough punch to knock someone out for hours. 

He turned from his position, and narrowed his eyes at the six soldiers left by the gate, their weapons drawn and anxiously watching the fight going on in front of them, helpless to move. 

They weren't paying attention to him anymore, and it was comedic how easy this all actually was. 

He aimed the gun and there was a quiet click as the shot reached and the first soldier dropped to the ground silently. With precision and silence, the other soldiers realised only once the third dropped. One of them turned towards Eren, a shout on his lips but he was quickly silenced by a shot and he was falling to the floor. 

The other two didn't have time to approach him. 

From behind, the soldier furthest from him, was detained and Eren watched as Annie stabbed the blade through his back and into his chest with a quick motion before silently proceeding to the last one and doing the exact same. The yell was caught on his lips, something between 'that's wrong!' and 'we weren't supposed to kill!'. He felt the tears gather quickly as Annie turned towards the empty tunnel and with a smirk painted on her lips, proceeded forward. He followed quickly, realising that he had to be there. This wasn't the plan. 

He watched Annie take step after step as he stood in the entrance to the tunnel, between her and the way out. Not far now. 

And then, an alarm blared and steel bars dropped down as a last resort. Annie just about managed to dodge them, flipping back as they crashed to the ground between her and the mechanism box. She snarled and grabbed onto the bars, trying her strength, trying to pry them apart, but it was useless. 

“What the fuck?! We did everything quietly! There is nobody to turn on the ala-” She stopped half way through her yell as she turned, her eyes widening and finding Eren's hand on the alarm. 

Behind him, movement suddenly sparked and the green was the only thing she saw as Survey Corps soldiers quickly came out of their hiding, throwing off coats and scarves and grabbing their weapons from cleverly hidden places. Some of the previously running humans have now turned around and were shifting, their humans bodies replaced with wolves from the Garrison. 

“You.” Annie whispered. 

Eren's chest vibrated with a quiet laugh. “I'm a lot of things, Annie,” He sneered. “But a traitor is not one of them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had way too much fun writing that last line I thought I was so clever omg  
> Sorry for the really late update but I thought I would have loads of time to write and then I ended up spending most of my Christmas either reading the assigned books for school or playing games with my uncle at my grandparent's house, so I didn't have access to my laptop and I didn't really have time to write anyway.   
> The next chapter is pretty much pure action, I think, as easily predicted.   
> Story length prediction stands at around 32 chapters now.   
> I hope you guys had a good Christmas and New Year's :) My new year has already started out pretty shit tbh   
> Ugh I've been reading too much Stucky fanfiction recently. God help me. Another thing I need on top of my already busy schedule is considering writing Stucky fanfiction, ugh.   
> OH AND ANOTHER THING. I AM ASHAMED AT YOU! ALL OF YOU! To think that Eren would actually betray everyone (*cough cough* LEVI) and doom the humanity is just twisted! And you all believed it! Nah, that's what I was hoping would happen. And I do hope you're back to loving Eren, and you don't hate him cause he's my baby and he cannot take the hate on top of everything else  
> Thanks for reading!   
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi stood sharply then, his chair leaning back and falling to the ground with a dramatic crash. He leaned forward on the table, his palms flat on the surface, teeth gritted. “If you think I'm worried about my own life,” He started in a growl. “Then you clearly haven't been fucking paying attention.”

“You tricked me.” 

“Let's not point out the obvious, should we, Annie?” 

“You'll pay for this, Eren.” She snarled. “I'm going to find your mate and then I'm going to rip his heart out of his chest right in front of you so you know that you shouldn't have screwed with me.” Annie chuckled coldly. “Or Reiner will do it for me once he realised this was a trap. I've had him keeping an eye on Levi, anyway.” 

Eren raised an eyebrow as a grin stretched on his lips. “Levi?” He echoed and shrugged slightly. “You're welcome to see him. I'm sure he'll want to see you once you're behind bars.” He chuckled. “And Reiner must have done a pretty piss poor job because my mate is right there,” He motioned behind him. “With all the other Survey Corps soldiers.” 

“Then why is it that you're playing the brave hero?” Annie sneered. 

Eren's eyes narrowed, his expression suddenly becoming serious. “I'm not.” He spoke simply. “You're going to get handed over to the Survey Corps in a moment.” He told her calmly but something glimmered in his eyes: want, thirst, craving. “But first, you have something that I want.” 

Annie's eyes widened for a short moment, and he saw the glint of fear pass over her eyes before she returned to her passive stance. “You're worse than I thought.” She commented silently. “It's already taking over you.” 

His fists clenched. “Shut up!” He snarled, taking a step forward. In the distance, Bertholdt's howls echoed in the darkness. “You know nothing.” He snapped. 

“You know what?” She spoke instead, a smirk slowly rising on her lips. “Believe whatever the fuck you want.” She reached back and pointed the gun at him, the smirk ever present on her lips. “You shouldn't have given me a weapon, Eren; that was your one mistake.” 

He snarled, but said nothing. His body was already shifting and he pondered a strategy for a moment, before giving up on the idea overall and simply throwing himself forward, propelling his shifting body towards Annie. 

A gun shot rang out, but he felt nothing. He heard Annie momentarily curse as she realised the bullets were blanks, before she rolled and dodged his attack to the side in the last possible second. 

He stopped with a harsh slide and was already turning, planning on attacking once again, but Annie was on the move, heading towards the exit he had left open. There were soldiers out there, but he couldn't let any of them catch her: he had to be the one. 

He snarled and broke into a run right after her, his wolf body faster and stronger than his human one could ever hope to be. Running out into the clear, he spotted a few Survey Corps soldiers patrolling around or getting back to their posts but most of them were gone and so was Bertholdt; they were probably chasing right after him once he realised it was a trap and made a run for it. 

The remaining soldiers turned towards Eren and Annie, but they hesitated for a moment, watching the scene before them.

_“I want to be the one to kill Annie.” Eren's voice was hollow and empty as he said it. Only once the words were out of his mouth did he look up from the floor, catching Levi's gaze across the table. The betrayal his mate felt towards him was immense and obviously, predictable. He had lied, after all – he didn't expect Levi to feel any different._

_“No.” Levi was the one who spoke up, voice matching Eren's in blankness and hollowness. “Over my dead body will you kill the Rogue who -”_

_“-Who has to be brought in for questioning.” Erwin interrupted, his seat beside Levi. His gaze was firm as it fell upon Levi, and the other vampire looked away, jaw setting and biting down on his lip to stop himself from saying any more. “In reality, we will not be able to bring them all in. But I want at least one.” Erwin's gaze left Eren now to travel to Nile Dawk, sitting beside Armin, who sat beside Eren. “And Nile has made it clear he doesn't want the lycans to live.”_

_“They're an abomination.” Nile added simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “They bring shame to the lycan race, and frankly, we will be doing them a favour.”_

_“Listen here, you pig. Eren is just the same as them and if for one second you - “_

_“Levi.” Erwin's tone was sharp and clipped, and Levi clearly understood the authoritative voice. “We will bring Annie in for questioning.” Erwin repeated._

_“I'll be the closest to her, it makes sense for me to attack.” Eren spoke up, putting forward the offer – no, demand – once again._

_“Have you lost all of your brain cells since this morning?” Levi snapped._

_“Levi...” Eren sighed, not sure how he wanted to proceed, his voice pleading. They wouldn't understand this need._

_“Fine.” Erwin spoke. Eren's eyes widened fractionally and Levi's head turned towards Erwin, a sneer ready at his lips. “But all my soldiers will be ready and waiting to intervene at any given moment. If you take it too far, they won't hesitate to hurt you just to keep her alive.”_

_Eren nodded. “Fine.”_

_“Erwin! This is - “_

_“Also,” Erwin cut Levi off. “You should remember that your life is not simply yours anymore. If you get severely hurt, so will Levi. And I will not allow for that.” Erwin's eyes narrowed. “If I see that you're getting yourself into a critical mess, I will stab you myself just to save Levi any additional pain you may bring upon the both of you.” Levi's eyes widened at Erwin's words and next to him, Hanji whistled, impressed._

_Eren's jaw set, tight and firm as he stared ahead at Erwin. Levi shuddered, feeling the sudden jealousy coursing through Eren's body. “It won't come to that.” He replied simply._

_“Very well.” Erwin nodded firmly. “I will give the order.” He stood up from his chair sharply. “We begin in an hour. Get prepared.” He looked over to Nile who stood up and followed him to the door. “Armin, come with me.”_

_Armin's eyes widened and he spluttered a quick 'yes, sir!' before getting up and following, turning and sending Eren a quick worried look before the three of them left the room._

_The silent tension spread through the room, and seconds seemed like hours before Hanji got up and made a big show of stretching._

_“Well!” She exclaimed, straightening out and grinning. “I better get the squads mobilised.” She turned to look at Levi. “You coming, shorty?”_

_Levi's gaze didn't lift from the table as Hanji continued towards the door, clearly knowing that he wasn't going to follow just yet. “In a moment.” He replied silently._

_“Well, you better hurry,” Hanji spoke, keeping the door open as she stood in the doorway. “Mikasa is out here and she looks fucking fuming.” Hanji chuckled before leaving and closing the door behind her._

_“You're a fucking idiot.” Levi didn't waste time whispering._

_“But you still love me, right?” Eren managed to crack a small smile, lifting his eyes to look at his mate properly._

_Levi looked up, meeting his gaze with a blank one of his own. “Do you see me laughing, Eren?” He furrowed his eyebrows. “This is no laughing matter! You can get killed! They're after you for a fucking reason!” He kept his voice low, but it was sharp, demanding and derogative._

_Eren gritted his teeth. “If you're worried about your own life, I can assure you that I will not die.” He snapped._

_Levi stood sharply then, his chair leaning back and falling to the ground with a dramatic crash. He leaned forward on the table, his palms flat on the surface, teeth gritted. “If you think I'm worried about my own life,” He started in a growl. “Then you clearly haven't been fucking paying attention.”_

Annie turned sharply and he followed right along, quickening his run until he was at his highest speed. But the pounding thirst was running through him, almost making him salivate as he smelt it in the air around Annie, and somehow, he found himself running even faster, each move precise and steady, yet feral. 

Annie wasn't going to get away this time, and his thirst could finally be satisfied. 

~~*~~*~~

“Status report.” 

“He's heading east.” Petra's answer came firmly as she landed next to him. 

Levi's eyes followed the streets from the higher vantage point above, cleverly scanning possibilities. “We need him to turn South.” He told her. “Have a team cut him off.” He ordered. “Then station a squad there,” He pointed to a street and she nodded, making sure she understood. “If it goes well, I'll meet you there.” She nodded with a quick 'yes, sir' and then she was off.

“I can feel your anger even as far away as I'm standing!” Hanji called to him from the other corner of the building, keeping eyes on the situation but a grin lighting up her face. “You'll get to kill him soon!” She assured with a chuckle. 

“I don't give a shit about killing the damn dog.” Levi muttered irritably, knowing she would hear him and not feeling like alerting all the other members of their team of the predicament. “I'd be happier sitting to the side, knowing that Eren is okay.” 

“Erwin is there.” Hanji reminded him. “As well as soldiers. He's not alone.” She paused and pursed her lips. “Though, that's how he wants to be.” 

“I don't give a shit what he wants,” Levi snapped. “He's clearly delusional!” 

“Sir, we've gotten him to turn around!” Levi's gaze snapped back to the flare being shot out. Perfect. They had Bertholdt heading right where they wanted him. But Reiner was still nowhere in sight, and that was perhaps slightly worrisome. They had set up a fake squad, making sure that if Reiner was trailing Levi or Eren's friends, he would think that was them. They even exchanged clothes to match scent and everything.

“He seemed pretty set on it.” Hanji pointed out rather quietly, suspicion in her own voice. “Maybe I should have a look...” She trailed off quietly, looking up and across to seek Levi's agreement. 

He huffed, irritated, “Go.” He murmured. “But keep an eye out for Reiner.” He added quickly and with a quick nod, she was shooting out her grappling hooks and jumping off the building.

The minutes seemed to drag on as the squads continued to chase Bertholdt towards the trap. It seemed like an eternity to Levi, and no matter how mad or frustrated he was, he would rather had been watching over Eren, making sure his mate wasn't getting himself into trouble. 

All the extra soldiers surrounding him didn't help him think any clearer. Eren was quick enough to point out that Annie agreed to help save Levi, which meant that one of the Rogues would be nearby. That, however, meant that a threat was nearby once they began their plan and the Rogues turned on Eren, and with that, on Levi. He had never imagined a day where he would need security, but Erwin insisted. 

His eyes narrowed as another flare was shot out, informing Levi of Bertholdt's position. “Let's go.” He muttered to the others, and shot out off the building before he even received a reply, hearing the gear working mere seconds behind him. 

They took a different way, making sure to avoid Bertholdt for now. Levi was not to show himself just yet; he was supposed to be there if anything didn't work out, and – as requested by Nile himself, surprise – to deal the killing hit. 

Once he landed on a rooftop and looked down, he spotted another flare being shot out not far away. He scanned the hidden soldiers slowly, making sure everything was in place and finding Petra and the rest of his squad standing on a roof opposite of him. 

Another flare. 

“Get ready!” 

Bertholdt turned the corner with a sharp movement, his large paws moving him over ground swiftly and efficiently, snarling as he did. Behind him, lycans in their wolf forms continued the hunt, jaws snapping and snarling as above him, Survey Corps soldiers swung from rooftop to rooftop, sometimes swooping down to attack but being struck down or dodged. 

Levi cocked his head, administering the fear hidden inside Bertholdt's eyes as he scanned for a possible escape, for a possible getaway. 

But there was none, and he found that the moment he stepped into the trap. Someone yelled, and then the soldiers were pulling at chains, and he was left to watch as dozens of grappling hooks shot out of their designated places and pierced through Bertholdt's body, trapping him instantly and injuring him with every breath he took. 

Bertholdt immediately froze, whimpering as he realised his predicament. His head turned from side to side, finding the soldiers coming out of their hiding places, blades already drawn. He snarled once and thrashed, trying to get free, but only found the hooks – silver of course – digging in harder into his body, causing more pain. 

He became surrounded by soldiers, helpless. 

Levi watched the large wolf get pierced in the chest from both sides, head thrashing sideways helplessly as he tried to get to his attackers but found himself unable to. He howled in pain, whimpering as the blood turned his fur a darker shade. He howled again, but this time, there was a reply. 

Levi's eyes widened as his head turned towards the sound; Reiner was close. 

He shot out his grappling hooks, yelling out for more soldiers to engage as he lowered himself down to the ground and stood before the wolf. More soldiers came forth, blades stabbing into the wolf. Levi watched the fight slowly dissolve from his eyes as he lost strength, his paws shaking with the effort of holding himself up. 

“You had a chance to live inside the walls,” Levi murmured, stepping closer to the Rogue. “Nobody would have realised what you were.” He added with a shrug. “It was your stupid ambition that got you where you are.” 

The wolf snarled, drops of blood dripping from his muzzle as he tried to threaten Levi one more time. 

“Sir! Another Rogue incoming!” 

Levi didn't need to turn around to know Reiner had turned the corner, running to help him dying mate. Levi gave Mike a wave and watched as Mike swung above the wolf, dropping on top of his back. The wolf collapsed under the additional weight, his legs not able to hold him with the huge loss of blood. 

He heard yells; the soldiers were stopping Reiner, keeping him away. 

Mike gave it no second thought. Bringing his blade out, he gave Levi one more quick glance before bringing it down, striking upon the lycan's nape. 

Bertholdt whimpered in pain again, louder and Levi swore he heard Reiner whimper in reply just as loud. The white wolf became enraged, shoving through soldiers to get to his mate again, leaving a trail of blood behind. 

And with that, Levi knew he had to end it. Reiner was a wild animal, or he would be in a moment, and a wild animal always had to be put down. 

He reached for his gun, filled with silver bullets and aimed at Bertholdt's head. He then pulled the trigger, the shot echoing the dark streets and the wolf's body stilling completely, eyes drooping and a pool of blood quickly growing around him. 

Turning, Levi watched Reiner freeze, watched his eyes focus entirely on Bertholdt as more soldiers gathered around him. But they didn't need to do anything. 

Reiner's body dropped to the ground, the white fur changing to his human body just as his mate's was doing right now. Levi would never forget the shock and pain in Reiner's eyes as he watched his mate die. 

He cursed, turning away from the sight, knowing from the whispers that Reiner was dead; he didn't survive his mate's death, which was what they counted on. He couldn't help but feel slightly sorry, now that he knew what having a mate was like and for a moment, he tried to imagine himself seeing Eren die before him. 

The vision was too vivid, too grotesque and he cursed again as he gave the orders and shot out a green flare, notifying everybody that the threat was neutralised. But at what cost?

~~*~~*~~

She wasn't going to get away. 

She wasn't going to get away. 

It wasn't going to get away. 

He found get it. 

He would catch it. 

He would sink his teeth into it. 

He would sink his teeth into her and revel in it. 

Turning into an alley, he snapped his jaws right at her feet, almost catching her. The howls in the distance were sad, and he recognised them as Bertholdt's, and he knew that they had him, and he would die, and then Levi would head this way. He was running out of time. 

He ignored everything around him, focusing solely on the prey, waiting for her to make one small, wrong move. 

And he got it the exact moment her foot slipped and lost balance for just a second. She righted herself quickly enough but it gave Eren that tiny advantage, and the next time he snapped his jaws, his teeth closed over her ankle and he came to an abrupt stop. 

She collapsed to the ground, her other foot kicking hard into the side of his muzzle and he almost whimpered, almost showed he was weak, but then he was biting down harder, feeling his teeth meet bone as she screamed, thrashing on the ground. 

She pulled up, her claws swiping at him, scratching a deep cut across the right side of his muzzle and he felt the blood pour, he did, but it only encouraged him, enraged him further. He snarled, letting go of her leg to pounce forward, crashing hair underneath his body. 

“You'll die, Eren! No matter how hard you try to keep your little act up, you'll die!” She screamed from underneath him and he felt her hand reach to her belt for a moment before there was a piercing pain shooting up his stomach as she buried the knife deep in him. 

But he ignored it. Only one thing mattered now. 

He snarled, his paw pressing against her throat, claws making red indents in her skin, awaiting for the blood to pour if he pressed any harder. And oh, did he want to. The soldiers had surrounded them on the rooftops, watching, and Eren faintly smelled Hanji, wondered if she was here with Levi, before all of those thoughts left immediately as the smell of Annie's blood wafted in the air. 

“You're a monster, Eren!” Annie screamed, her voice loud enough to let the soldiers surrounding them hear what she had to say. “And they will all find out soon eno - “ He cut her off then, snarling and lunging forward to close his teeth over the juncture between her neck and shoulder. 

Her blood immediately filled his mouth and his eyes rolled back in his head at the taste of Rogue blood, corrupted and diseased, but not the same as normal. But somehow, even better, warmer, and smoother as it spilled down his throat, awakening another part of him. 

He didn't let go, and he wasn't planning on it. He wanted to stay here, have Annie's blood flowing down his throat, have his fur coloured with it as long as he could smell the delicious scent around him. She wouldn't die so quickly, currently yelling and screaming, scratching at him while he drained the life out of her slowly. 

But then, he felt a foot collide with his side and he was shoved off Annie. He immediately turned, ready to pounce and attack the person who interrupted him, ready to tear into them because this delicacy was his, entirely his and he would defend it with all his strength. His. 

A man in a green cape stood before him, one of his feet on Annie's chest, keeping her on the ground while his silver blade – as it became clear to Eren – was pointed at him, a confident look in his eyes, almost challenging. 

And Eren would take that challenge. He never backed down. 

“Target secured. Shoot out a flare.” 

“Sir, Corporal Levi has given the signal. Targets have been neutralised.” 

Corporal Levi. Levi. Eren blinked, and the man standing before him was Erwin Smith, his position still the same, still as challenging and authoritative. But now, understanding that he almost attacked the Commander of the Survey Corps – and realising he was covered in Annie's blood – he took a step back, retreating, though the delicate smell still called to him strongly. 

Seeing him back down, Erwin sheathed his blade and grabbed Annie by her uninjured shoulder, dragging her limp body up. She had lost a lot of blood, and was obviously unconscious, but still alive. Hardly though, Eren noticed by the faint heartbeat. 

“Get some handcuffs on her. Take her back to the base.” Erwin ordered and soldiers immediately rushed forward, taking Annie away, all while he didn't lose eye contact with Eren. 

The understanding hit him, of everything he had done, of all the thoughts that went through his head and for a moment, he felt sick knowing that this was him – this was the monster he had become. Annie was right. 

The soldiers began to disperse, but Erwin kept his position for a moment longer. From a rooftop, Hanji frowned, trying to make sense of what happened before she too, turned and began heading for the base. 

Finally, Erwin turned and began calmly walking down the alley. “For your sake,” He started, and Eren knew he was speaking to him since they were the only two left. “I hope she was wrong.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erwin being as dramatic as ever, ugh such a drama queen.   
> Quite happy with how this chapter turned out. Sorry for the long wait :L Gotta be in the right mood to write action scenes and tbh I don't even have a valid excuse since all I've done is procrastinate, not do my school work, and read Stucky fanfiction. Sorry.   
> I'm really happy with the response this story gets! You don't understand how happy it makes me to wake up in the morning and see that I have like ten emails saying someone commented or left kudos. It's literally the best way to wake up. Or even when I'm in class and I get an email, it just makes me smile and I'm a dweeb, I'm sorry.   
> Thanks for still reading!   
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But even Levi couldn't help him now, and silently, he had accepted that.

With every step, he felt his body get weaker and weaker. The cold wind blew against his body as he trudged down the empty streets in the middle of the night, hearing the faint scurrying of rats and the beat of wings above him. 

He had stayed behind, and people were probably looking for him, but he couldn't go back just yet. All the soldiers were gone, but the streets remained empty and quiet. He hadn't wanted any of this to happen. He didn't want to feel this way. 

Upon shifting to his human form, he had grabbed a blanket from a washing line, little consideration left inside that it didn't belong to him. He wanted to be out of that body, the very same body that was both lethal and deadly and that... he couldn't control. 

He shivered as the cold wrapped itself around him, pulling the blanket closer and trying to keep his modesty. But he cared little for it, at this point. Inside, he felt the continuous worry coming from Levi, the distress his mate felt when he returned to base and didn't find Eren anywhere. 

But even Levi couldn't help him now, and silently, he had accepted that. 

Pressing his hand to wipe the tears threatening to fall, he realised he shouldn't have blood-bonded with Levi at all. He loved him, he would never deny that, but he put Levi in danger by doing so and he would forever blame himself for it. He had heard that people change after blood-bonding, and if his struggle with this craving changed Levi in any way, he was sure that not only would he never forgive himself, but others wouldn't forgive him either. 

He pulled the blanket closer and closed his eyes for a moment, living in the moment. Though it was cold, the air was fresh and crisp and oh, so healthy. Perhaps he would miss that once he inevitably ended up outside the walls with all the corruption surrounding him. 

The vampires standing on guard gave him cautious looks, one even going as far as to draw his blade. For a moment, he almost smiled at the thought of Levi breaking the vampire's arm at the move. But they simply let him pass towards the base. 

Maybe Armin would know what to do. Armin always seemed to know what to do. 

Heading for the correct block, he pulled the blanket around him closer, before he bumped right into somebody. He stumbled back, his head spinning in a daze, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light. 

“Eren?” Armin. 

“What the hell is wrong with him?” That voice. He managed to open his eyes and dazedly stared at Jean standing before him. He managed a quick, small smile before he was losing his balance, falling forwards and being caught at the last moment. 

“Eren! What's wrong?!” 

He chuckled lightly, the feeling of Jean's arms on him familiar and for once in a long time, welcome. “Good to see you, horse face.” He muttered, and then his eyes closed slowly, world becoming deadly silent with only Armin's worried yells in the background. 

~~*~~*~~

_“Someone will have to do it.”_

_“Not me.” Levi replied simply, crossing one leg over another and bringing the cup back up to his lips._

_“No matter how much of that tea you drink, it's clearly not helping.” Hanji pointed out with a teasing sneer._

_“It's supposed to be calming!” He growled over his drink, sighing and taking another sip. “He's weak and...” He turned his head sharply, glaring at the door. “And I don't know where the hell he is and yet I have to be here.” He finished with a growl._

_“Levi, we need all the information she can give us.” Hanji pleaded, sighing softly. “Eren will show up. He's not hurt, right?”_

_“No.” Levi admitted, taking a moment to run over Eren's feelings again. He was bursting with overwhelming feelings, but he wasn't hurt, no. “Hanji, I'm not going to do it.”_

_“But you're good at it!” She argued._

_“Saying I'm good at torturing people really isn't the compliment you think it is.” He pointed out, taking another sip of his tea._

_“The sooner we're done with her, the sooner you'll be free to go.” Hanji pointed out. “And so far, no volunteers.” She added with a shrug._

_Levi sighed, eyebrows furrowing._

_“Come on, we're the perfect team.” Hanji gave him a small smile. “I'm the brain, you're the muscle. Or well, something like that.”_

There were four guards standing just outside the fist set of steel bars. Erwin left no doubts when it came to securing the Rogue. 

“You know this little bone here?” Hanji's voice seemed hollow and yet strangely entertained in the small room. Annie sat strapped to the chair, chains keeping her in place for now. “If I put some pressure on it in just the right way...” Hanji trailed off, pressing her finger down over one of the small bones on Annie's finger. Annie hissed as her nail began growing out into a claw. 

Levi raised an eyebrow and pushed off the wall, uncrossing his arms and coming closer to stand by Hanji. “Ripping off someone's nail is nothing compared to ripping out a claw.” He pointed out, his voice smooth but low, knowing what was coming next. 

If Annie reacted, she didn't let it show on her face. 

Turning to look at Hanji, the other vampire gave him a small nod. Reaching over, Levi picked up the pincers and with a quick motion, Annie was screaming and he let her bloody claw drop to the floor. 

“Let's try that again.” Hanji smiled. 

“There is nothing to tell.” Annie growled. Hanji exchanged a look with Levi. 

“How about this?” Hanji started. “For each lie, we break a finger. You heal extremely fast, so we have all the time in the world.” 

“Go ahead.” Annie laughed coldly. “There's nothing to tell.” 

“Why don't we start at the beginning?” Hanji suggested. “Why try to break down the walls?” 

“Why not?” Levi sighed and with a quick motion of his hand, seized her own before there was a loud crunching sound and Annie was hissing in pain. 

“Why?” Hanji urged. 

When no answer came, Levi repeated the process. 

“Because none of you give a shit.” Annie hissed under her breath. “The ones who are infected, are abandoned.” 

“Rules are rules.” Hanji shrugged slightly. “There's no way to help them.” 

“And yet he managed to help us.” Annie laughed coldly again. 

Hanji sighed and rolled her eyes. “I really wish we had kept the other two.” She whined to Levi. “It would have been easier with them.” He shrugged in reply; unlike Hanji, he was definitely not comfortable in this situation. “What did Grisha Yeager do?” Hanji asked. 

Annie remained silent, and Levi proceeded to break yet another finger. She hissed but said nothing more. After two more cracks, she whimpered and closed her eyes. “I don't know.” She whispered. Hanji gave Levi a look, to which both mutually nodded. 

“This immunity,” Hanji started, her tone now curious. “It doesn't come free, does it?” 

When Annie said nothing, Levi broke yet another finger. She hissed, her fangs snapping down at him threateningly. Narrowing his eyes, he grabbed the pincers again and let the claws on his hand grow out before he grabbed her chin, sharp ends digging into her skin as he kept her mouth still. “Have you ever been to the dentist?” He murmured. 

“Of course not!” Annie hissed out, spitting his way. She turned to Hanji. “Nothing is ever free.” She told her and then, a small smile stretched on her lips. “But you already knew that.” 

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Levi growled, then, realising that Eren was now involved in the conversation. 

Hanji remained still, watching Annie as the Rogue smirked up at her, knowingly. “You already know...” 

“What the hell is she talking about?!” 

“How do you stop it?” Hanji asked her, grabbing the pincers out of Levi's hand and copying the exact movement he had, keeping Annie's mouth still. 

Annie chuckled and Hanji bared her teeth before reaching inside Annie's mouth with the pincers and grabbing hold of one of the main canines. With a quick motion, she pulled on it and soon, blood was filing Annie's mouth and she was spitting it out onto the floor, flinching and laughing at the same time. 

“How do you stop it?!” Hanji hissed at her. Levi took a step back, eyebrows furrowing as he tried to understand what they were talking about. 

Annie laughed silently, shoulders shaking soundlessly. Hanji grabbed her mouth again and grabbed at the other sharp canine, watching as Annie's expression didn't change. She pulled it out and though Annie screamed and more blood began flowing, the grin didn't come off her face. “You can't!” She laughed. “You can't! There is no way to stop it!” She laughed again. “Sooner or later, we all go insane – trying to stop it is pointless!” 

Hanji gritted her teeth, grabbing the gun out of Levi's belt before aiming at Annie's knee. She pulled the trigger, and the vampire screamed in pain as the bullet shattered her kneecap. 

“Hurt me all you want.” Annie whispered, her head hanging down, a trail of blood flowing down her chin, neck and seeping into her shirt. “I have nothing left to live for.” 

Hanji growled and thrust the gun back at Levi, before turning swiftly and marching towards the cell door. Waiting there, stood Moblit, and he quickly stepped out of the way as she shoved the door open and left without a word. 

Levi looked back at Annie for a moment before turning to leave himself. Catching Moblit's gaze, Moblit's mouth opened. “Eren is back.” 

~~*~~*~~

“You're fucking insane.” 

“And you're really pretty.” Eren giggled, reaching towards Levi's face but missing it by miles. The doctors might have put him on more painkillers than it was necessary. 

“You are most definitely not forgiven.” Levi added quickly, almost trying to reassure himself. 

“Come on!” Eren whined, pouting. “I'll even suck your dick to be forgiven.” Levi watched Armin and Mikasa cough, both tensing up and eyes widening as the words left Eren's mouth. 

“Eren,” Mikasa's eyebrows furrowed in worry as her tone came forward as a warning. 

“It's true!” Eren exclaimed, still pouting. “I don't know why I'm sorry but I'm sorry and it feels horrible.” He frowned, wide eyes turning to Levi. “Make it stop, Levi.” 

Levi sighed, reaching forward to brush Eren's fringe back. “I wish I could.” He muttered, and he still felt it; deep inside, he could still feel dread and regret alive inside Eren. 

“I wish you could, too.” Eren murmured, closing his eyes for a moment. “I want us to be okay.” 

“We are okay.” Levi told him. “Sometimes, you're stupid and incredibly irresponsible and let's not forget annoying, but we're okay.” 

Eren shook his head, his lip trembling. “I wish we were okay. You're okay.” He opened his eyes, glossed over with tears. “I'm not.” He whispered. 

“Eren,” Armin started and Eren turned towards him slowly. “What is this about? Is this about...” Armin trailed off, biting down on his lip and sending a small look towards Levi before giving up on finishing the sentence. 

“I can't control it.” Eren muttered, leaning back on the bed, closing his eyes. “I want to, but I can't. It's taking over.” His lip trembled again and Levi watched a single tear roll down his cheek. “And it will ruin me. I don't know how to control it.” 

With a sigh, Levi leaned forward and kissed the stray tear away. “We'll work it out.” He promised, though he had no idea what Eren was even talking about. “We always do.” 

“I love you,” Eren whispered and Levi nodded softly, biting down on his lip to stop it from trembling at how vulnerable and broken Eren looked on the bed. “And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm so selfish.” 

“Eren,” Levi breathed out but stopped, seeing Eren's chest fall and rise evenly. Instead, he turned to look at the other two lycans in the room before turning back to look at his mate. He kissed Eren's forehead and stood up, heading to the meeting he was required to be in, “I love you too .” 

~~*~~*~~

“I expected a lot of people to come and see me, but you? I must say, you surprised me.” Annie's voice was quiet in the darkness as she looked up, looking across the closed cell to see a person staring back at her from behind the steel bars. 

“I thought you...” He started, slow and hesitant. “I thought you deserved that.” 

“Deserved you coming to see me?” Annie laughed softly. “I'd rather you didn't, Armin.” 

“So it's true...” Armin whispered, leaning his head on the bars and sighing. “I didn't want to believe it.” 

“As you should.” Annie shrugged slightly. “Must be a disappointment.” She commented. 

“Should it be?” Armin questioned, eyebrows furrowing. “Annie, you're not a bad mate per say.” 

She raised her eyebrows for a moment, chuckling softly and licking over her bloody lip. “Oh yes,” She laughed. “You've really struck gold.” 

Armin sighed and sat down in front of the bars, keeping his voice low so that the guards didn't hear every word. “You've made bad decisions, but you're not a bad person.” 

“You don't know me, Armin.” 

“I wish I did.” 

“Stop it.” Annie hissed. “Stop trying to make it seem like you care.” She snapped. “I've heard them talking – in a few days I'll be dead. And no, it won't affect you.” She turned away, focusing her eyes on the floor. “According to the Etch, I'm not your mate. I'm a Rogue.” 

“But there is a cure.” 

“There might be a cure for people who aren't immune.” Annie replied. “But I'm already cured. And that will never change.” 

“Annie, they could let you go.” Armin tried. “We need somebody like you. You're a skilled fighter, and you're extremely clever and brave. If only you - “ 

“I won't forgive them, Armin.” Annie whispered. “Not for what they did to us.” 

And it was on his tongue: it wasn't just you! Those were the rules! It wasn't personal! But he said none of those. He had understood the tone Annie had used; it was sure, and definite. 

“Please don't resort to begging.” She drawled, and he smiled lightly at the tone of her voice. 

“I probably would have.” He pointed out. “But I don't beg on the first date.” 

Annie laughed softly. “Oh, you're a romantic one, aren't you?” She teased and Armin felt his lip tremble because they could have had this; every day could have been like this, every morning, every afternoon, every night. 

“We're leaving tomorrow.” He told her quietly. “We're going to see if we can find Eren's dad's house. We might be able to find his notes, see what he did to you all...” He trailed off softly as Annie listened. “I might not be back so -”

“Just don't, Armin.” Annie cut him off. “Just say goodbye and leave.” 

Armin nodded softly. “Goodbye, Annie.” He whispered. He turned and began leaving, hearing a faint 'bye, Armin' behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait and the crap quality of this chapter. I'm not a torture person and I really didn't want to leave the AruAni hanging there so...  
> Yeah next chapter is the expedition to Shiganshina (I think) and it will probably be the longest chapter yet (hopefully) so shit is definitely all going down. I do have an epilogue planned too so... We're looking at probably 2 more chapters :(  
> I think, subconsciously, I've been updating so slowly because I don't want this fic to end...  
> Thanks for the continuous support and all the amazing comments! Thanks for reading! x  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I-I can't control it.” He opened his eyes and looked straight at Levi. “Levi, please, I swear, I didn't mean to - “ He started but cut off once his voice gave out. “I love you, I would never - “ He cut off again, turning away and covering his eyes, covering the tears that were prepared to fall.

When he woke up, he was alone. 

There was nobody else in the room, but he quickly recognised his surroundings and nuzzled in closer to the bed covers, having Levi’s scent fill his nostrils. He definitely found himself back in this bed way too often. 

There was a silent, almost inaudible, knock on the door and he didn't even need to call out a ‘come in!’ before it was opening. Mikasa stepped in first and trailing behind her, shyly at first, was Yuuki. 

Once they realised Eren was okay, Yuuki’s face lit up and he immediately ran over to the bed. “You’re awake!” He exclaimed, grinning. “Mikasa said you've been sleeping so much because you work hard, but I don’t believe her.” 

Eren smiled but teasingly narrowed his eyes. “How little you think of me,” He scoffed, watching as Yuuki grinned back at him again. He was a very happy child, even after everything happened to him. Eren wondered whether what Levi told him, actually had something to do with it all. “What’s this,” Eren started, changing the topic as he ran his hand through Yuuki’s hair, messing it up purposely, “You need a haircut bad. It looks terrible.” 

“It looks awesome!” Yuuki argued. 

“I thought it looked nice,” Mikasa chimed in, sitting down next to the bed. 

“Not very good for training.” Eren pointed out, teasingly pulling at a strand. He needed the distraction.

“Then I definitely have to cut it!” Yuuki turned towards Mikasa, eyes wide as a smile grew on Mikasa’s face. 

“Eren has no sense of style,” She pointed out. “If I were you, I wouldn't listen to him.” 

“I was the one who advised you to cut your hair,” Eren pointed out in reply, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Irrelevant.” Mikasa shrugged slightly. 

“Well, then he and Levi are perfect for each other,” Yuuki grinned, joining into the teasing. “They both have a horrible sense of style.” 

Eren chuckled before the thought of Levi came across his mind again. He sent Mikasa a questioning look and she replied with a knowing one before a small, reassuring smile graced her lips. “Levi is in a meeting.” She explained. “The expedition sets out in a few hours.” 

Eren’s eyes widened and he quickly sat up before Mikasa was pushing down at his shoulder again. “I need to get ready.” He told her. 

“Eren,” She sighed, scowling. “It would be better if you stayed.” 

“No chance, Mikasa.” He snapped in return. “This is the first time we get a chance to leave the walls,” He spoke, lowering his voice and looking over to Yuuki, who has taken a sudden interest in the massive bookshelf Levi had. “I will definitely not be left behind.” 

Mikasa sighed and looked away, lips pursing at his stupidity. “Fine.” She whispered. “The plan is simple,” She started and he began listening intently. “Instead of using so many single horses, they’re taking large carriages. Lycans are instructed to remain in the carriages until we get to Shiganshina. There, a squad will storm the house and look for any evidence we need as the rest of vampires and lycans hold off the Rogues.

At that point, the sun will come up. Once we get the things we need, younger vampires will ride back in the carriages to hide away from sunlight while the lycans take their places upon the horses. Any remaining lycans will have to run alongside the expedition and hold off any Rogues that get too close. The sunlight will give us an advantage over the vampire Rogues, but of course, it is also problematic for the Survey Corps.” 

“That sounds…” Eren trailed off for a moment. “Do-able.” 

“It’s not a bad plan,” Mikasa agreed. “But we don’t know how well it will work. It does require some teamwork and…” She paused, frowning. “We’re not all very good at that.” She almost growled. 

Eren turned to look at Yuuki. “What about him?” He asked Mikasa. “Where is he staying?” 

“Levi agreed for Yuuki to stay at his house up in Sina,” Mikasa told him. “There is a Garrison soldier also stationed there to make sure nothing happens to him.” But there seemed to be something different on her mind as she frowned. “Eren…” She started hesitantly. “He’s not old enough to train yet, and legally, he’s not old enough to live by himself.” 

“It’s only one more year before he can – “

“I know that,” Mikasa cut him off. “But until then, he can’t stay at the Garrison headquarters this whole time.” 

“We’ll figure something out.” Eren told her firmly. “I’ll speak to Levi. It’s my fault Yuuki is alone, and I will not have him in some damn children’s home.” 

“This isn’t your fault, Eren.” Mikasa told him firmly. 

“Well, that’s how it feels…” Eren replied in a mumble before turning to look at Yuuki. “Hey! You wanna go see the Survey Corps training with 3DMG?” 

~~*~~*~~

“That’s all. I will see you all there at midnight, sharp.” Erwin stood up, gathered all the notes from the table and left the room without another word, followed by Mike who sent a last smile to Hanji as they both turned the corner. 

“You going to check in on Eren?” Hanji asked tensely, sitting up and turning to look over at Levi.  
“Of course,” Levi murmured simply, gathering his own notes. 

“I have to get down to the lab and ask Moblit whether the bullets are ready.” Hanji spoke up. “We were going to test them out, but I’m not sure they’re ready for action.” 

Something flashed across Levi’s mind and he immediately sat up. “I’ll do it.” He told her quickly. “I’ll ask him and tell you all the details. You should get started on filling the carriages with enough equipment and supplies.” He offer. He could feel a certain tension in the air between them, and he was almost sure it had something to do with what Annie had said and Hanji had refused to share. 

She gave him a hesitant look, as if almost thinking the decision over before she sighed, “Levi,” She started, but he cut her off almost immediately. 

“I hear sympathy in your voice and right now, I’m not sure I want to hear it.” He told her. Sympathy was currently unwelcome, not when they were leaving the walls soon and lives would be lost. The moment for sympathy and empathy would come soon enough.

“Okay,” She replied patiently, “But there is something I need to speak to you about, and it’s important.”  
He nodded once and then proceeded to leave the room the same way the other veterans had. 

It didn't take him long to reach the lab, and he went in without knocking, knowing well that if Moblit knew it was him, he would make some sort of an excuse to vacate the room. 

Once Moblit turned around, his eyes widened momentarily and he visibly tensed, “Corporal Levi!” He quickly saluted. 

Levi rolled his eyes slightly. “Hanji wants to know how the development of the bullets is going,” He said, walking around one of the counters to round in on Moblit. 

“T-they won't be ready in time for the e-expedition,” Moblit managed to stutter out, keeping himself distracted and busy with the bottle he currently held in his hand. 

“Do you think I'm stupid?” Levi asked after a moment of silence. 

“W-what?” Moblit stuttered, eyes widening, “I would never dare to think that, Corporal!” 

“That's how you're treating me,” Levi pointed out with a shrug. “There's something you're not telling me...” He trailed off, looking around the room slowly. “I don't like being lied to.” He leveled Moblit with a stare and an expectant, raised eyebrow. 

“I-I don't know what you mean, Corporal.” 

“You've been jumpy around me ever since that incident with Eren,” Levi told him. “What happened?” 

“I already told you.” Levi did, however, notice the lack of formal address this time. 

“You told me lies.” 

Moblit shook his head slightly, looking away. 

Sighing slightly, Levi realised that this was not going to work out. Intimidation was more of his specialty anyway. 

Within moments, he had Moblit shoved back against one of the counters, back pressing tight and effectively trapping him with Levi staring him down. His fangs snapped down into a threatening display and then, for a moment, a look passed over Moblit's eyes; it was this haunted, reminiscing look full of fear. 

“What did Eren do?” The question tumbled out of Levi as he furrowed his eyebrows at Moblit's reaction. 

Moblit seemed to shake slightly, but he didn't say a word. 

“You're not denying he did something...” Levi mumbled, pulling back, his fangs retracting as he took a step back. “Moblit, I'm trying to help him.” 

Moblit was silent for a while before his eyes cast back to the ground and he started in a shaky whisper, “I-I found him here and he looked so... lost, and troubled. And he was shaky and breathless. I asked if he was okay but he... he just looked at me like...” Moblit paused, scowling, “ - like he didn't even know me.” 

“Go on.” Levi urged, feeling his chest tighten as he heard the details. 

“A-and I could tell he was about to shift,” Moblit admitted. “He was visibly struggling to hold it together, and then once I made a move towards my blade, he seemed to get even worse...” He said. “But then, h-he suddenly came back to himself and he was backing away, when he shifted.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No, he ran away.” Moblit replied quickly. 

“Is that all that happened?” Levi asked, feeling as if this was not all. This story wasn't much different from what Moblit had told him in the first place. 

“H-he found me again,” Moblit whispered in admittance. 

“What do you mean?” 

“H-he approached me i-in the hallway,” Moblit replied. 

“And?” 

“And he threatened me to not tell about what really happened,” Moblit said quietly. 

Levi's heart plummeted for a moment, mouth opening to say something, but nothing came out. Eren didn't threaten people; he was a kid, for gods' sake! “Hurt you?” He managed to get an incoherent sentence out. But a loud mantra repeated in his head, calling out 'Eren would never do that!'. 

Moblit nodded lightly, and Levi turned away, not wanting to know the details. “And then Commander Smith interrupted us before anything else could happen.” 

This caught Levi's attention. “Erwin?” No, Erwin would have told him about this. 

“Yes, s-sir.” 

“I'm sorry, Moblit.” Levi told him sincerely. “You didn't deserve that, and I'll make sure that it will never happen again.” But he wasn't sure how he was supposed to keep that promise. 

“He - “ Moblit started but seemed to hesitate for a moment before he returned to his point, “Eren didn't seem like Eren. There was this look in his eyes, and just the way he spoke...” He shook his head slightly. “I'm sorry.” 

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Levi told him quickly. “Thank you.” He murmured, before he was rushing out of the room, this time, heading for Erwin's office. 

~~*~~*~~

“You fucking knew.” He stormed in. 

“Please Levi, do come in.” Erwin looked up from his desk and snapped. “I don't have time for another one of your tantrums, Levi.” He sighed, defeated and annoyed. 

“You knew about Eren all along.” Levi accused. 

“Elaborate, please.” 

“You knew he threatened Moblit.” 

“Yes, I know many things, Levi.” Erwin shrugged slightly. “I also know that Eren seemed to lose control, almost attacked me and I had to shove him off Annie just yesterday.” 

Levi's mouth opened to say something, the betrayal clear in his face. Finally, he moistened his lips and spoke, “Why didn't you tell me any of this? You saw he was losing himself and you kept it from me!” 

“At this point, I would think you know that I do my best to protect you.” 

“I don't need your protection!” Levi snarled, fangs baring. “Eren is my mate, and if you really cared you would have told me instead of letting your petty jealousy get into an important situation!” 

Erwin raised an eyebrow, one corner of his lips crooking up. “You think I'm jealous?” 

“Don't treat me like an idiot, Erwin.” Levi snarled. 

“I suppose I was.” Erwin admitted casually. “But I do have some morals, Levi, though you choose to believe the opposite.” He pursed his lips before they set in a straight line. “You were happy with him.” 

“I am happy with him.” Levi corrected him. 

“And that's all I want for you, Levi: happiness.” Erwin told him. “I didn't tell you because I thought I could deal with the issue myself; maybe saying a few words to him would make it all better...” Erwin scowled. “But when I saw him yesterday, I realised I couldn't help.” 

“You didn't tell me.” Levi repeated again, his voice quieter after Erwin's admittance. “I can help him. Whatever is happening, I can help.” 

“I'm not sure you can, Levi.” Erwin told him softly. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Levi shot back. He heard the sympathetic tone of Erwin's voice, and it irked him further. 

“I've spoken with Hanji, and she might have come to a conclusion as to what is happening. Not just with Eren, but those immune to the infection overall.” 

“Why the hell does everyone keep me in the shadows?” Levi exclaimed, hands fisting down his sides and he made sure to keep his distance from Erwin; fangs still bared, he felt as if his whole body was shaking with anger and betrayal. 

“Because of what's happening right now.” Erwin pointed out. “Levi, there's not a doubt in my mind that you would protect Eren if - “ 

“You're damn right I would!” Levi snarled. “Eren is my mate. I'd give up my life for his.” The words seemed an echo inside his head, and he frowned momentarily, his mind casting back to the time where such a sentence would never leave his lips. 

Erwin sighed, looking away for a moment, a pondering look in his eyes. “The Etch is a bothersome concept, isn't it?” He mumbled. “What if Eren becomes dangerous?” 

“Then I'll deal with it in my way.” Levi told him sharply. “If any of you so much as dare to - “

“Yes, yes, you've made your protective – bordering on obsessive – nature known.” Erwin waved his hand as if the threat didn't bother him at all. “But I'd like you to think about something, Levi,” Erwin started, looking straight at him again. “That one particular night. The chat we had back then – is any of it relevant anymore?” 

_“Weddings are tedious,” Levi snapped, pulling harshly at the tie around his neck to try and undo it. He swayed slightly, struggling before he growled and simply collapsed over the side of the couch, giving up._

_“You're such a romantic,” Erwin commented monotonously, undoing his own tie and first two buttons of his shirt before sitting down on the couch, not far from Levi's head. “Agreed, though.” He sighed, leaning his head back and closing his eyes for a moment, awaiting the incoming headache._

_“And this whole mating thing!” Levi burst out, words rolling off his tongue fluently now that the alcohol set in his system. “What the actual fuck? I'm supposed to give my life up for somebody I meet? And what, instantly fall in love? What a bunch of bullshit.”_

_“You're just saying that cause you're drunk,” Erwin murmured. “You know my stance on the whole Etch crap.”_

_“No, this isn't me being drunk,” Levi argued, trying to sit up but failing miserably. “My whole life I've been told that I'll find a damn mate and I will do everything for them. But if they love me as much as I love them, then the concept of giving up your life is stupid! If they really love you, they'll die too. Besides, when the fuck do you come into a situation like that anyway?”_

_“So you wouldn't give your life up for the love of your life?”_

_“Fuck no,” Levi snapped. “Besides, if it's love, wouldn't they do the same for me?” He shrugged for a moment, closing his eyes and sighing. “I'd rather stay in the damn military without a mate, but actually make a difference. I'd give my life up for humanity, but not for a single person.”_

_“It's a very honourable goal,” Erwin commented. “But I'm not sure it's realistic.”_

_Levi opened his eyes and looked up at him. “Isn't it?” He mumbled. “Even if I did find a mate – which I doubt will happen, anyway – I can promise you that I would be the same person as I always was. I would definitely not let it change me.”_

~~*~~*~~

_“He's an addict. They all are.” Hanji explained. “His blood fusing with the Rogue blood means he needs it to survive. And it's changing him; the desire for it. He drained three quarters of Annie's blood before Erwin managed to get him off. And if what you told me about Moblit counts, it also means that he'll go to violent means to get what he wants.”_

The moment he saw him, Eren grinned and called out a 'Levi!'. Beside him stood Yuuki, and Levi gave the kid a small smile before his eyes left to look at Mikasa and then back to Eren. 

His chest hurt the whole time he looked at Eren; Eren, his cheerful mate; Eren, the person who understood him the most; Eren, and his teasing remarks and huge smiles. 

“Are you okay?” Eren asked him as soon as he was standing in front of him, away from Mikasa and Yuuki's prying ears. “I felt... some things today.” 

He was angry, and betrayed and simply... tired. That's what Eren felt. 

“I'm fine,” He said instead and for a moment, let himself believe that everything was okay because Eren's arms were around him now and suddenly he was warm, and his face was pressed against Eren's shoulder, and everything was just fine. 

“Are you sure?” Eren asked him, eyebrows furrowing in worry. He was worried about Levi; he should have been worried about himself. 

He nodded and burrowed his face in closer to Eren, arms wrapping around him in return. 

“Hey, Levi,” Eren started hesitantly, taking in a deep breath. “I was thinking about Yuuki,” He started. 

“What about him?” Levi asked quietly, opening his eyes to look at Yuuki over Eren's shoulder. 

“He doesn't have anywhere to go and I feel like that's my fault, and you have a house up in Sina and I thought we could take a break from the military after this expedition. And like, don't get me wrong, I love it, but maybe we could just take a break and stay there with him since he's only really around for one more year and - “ 

“That sounds great,” Levi cut him off softly. “He can stay with us.” He frowned for a moment. “Or, better yet, with you.” 

Eren frowned and pulled away for a moment. “What do you mean?” 

Levi couldn't get himself to look into those bright eyes, so instead, he cupped Eren's face in his hands and pulled him in for a soft kiss. They kissed, and Levi felt his own chest tighten again at the thoughts swirling in his head, letting Eren deepen the kiss for a moment before Levi pulled away first, leaning his forehead on Eren's shoulder as he gathered up the courage, “You're not going on the expedition.” 

Eren instantly took a step back, letting Levi's head fall for a moment, his arms returning to his sides. “What?” 

“You're not going, Eren, and that's final.” 

“It's my own choice.” Eren snapped at him. “Is that how this relationship is going to work? You ordering me around and expecting me to listen?” His voice gradually got louder, and Levi sighed as he turned to give Mikasa a look. She nodded and set a hand on Yuuki's shoulder, leaning down and whispering something to him. He hesitated, nodded and then they both left the room. 

“I'm not ordering you around as your mate. I'm ordering you around as your superior.” He told Eren. His jaw then set, and he turned away, “I know what's happening Eren.” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” 

“I know about you and the Rogue blood!” Levi yelled, trying to keep his temper down and the betrayal out of his voice. “I've spoken with Moblit. I've spoken with Erwin. I've spoken with Hanji. We know, Eren!” He watched Eren's face pale for a moment before his mate turned away, biting down on his lip. 

“I-I don't know what's happening,” Eren stuttered, taking another step back. “I-I'm trying to k-keep it under control.” His voice shook, cracking slightly and Levi felt a small part of his heart crack at the sound. “I almost attacked Commander Smith.” He whispered, horrified. 

“Why didn't you tell me?” Levi asked softly. 

“I-It was fine at first.” Eren stuttered. “But I - “ His eyebrows furrowed for a moment, a confused look glazing over his eyes. “What happened with Moblit?” 

“You threatened him,” Levi supplied, and watched Eren' eyes widen further. “Don't you remember?” 

Eren shook his head then, running his fingers through his hair and turning away. “Oh gods...” He whispered under his breath, his whole body beginning to shake. 

“Eren, calm down,” Levi started, coming closer but Eren instantly snapped around, taking a quick step back. 

“Just...” He started, with a shake in his voice. “Don't come closer. Oh gods, what is wrong with me?” He whimpered, closing his eyes for a moment. “I-I can't control it.” He opened his eyes and looked straight at Levi. “Levi, please, I swear, I didn't mean to - “ He started but cut off once his voice gave out. “I love you, I would never - “ He cut off again, turning away and covering his eyes, covering the tears that were prepared to fall. 

“I know,” Levi told him firmly. “You're a good person, Eren, but this...” He frowned and shook his head slightly. “We can help you. We'll find out what your father did and then we'll help you. You just have to keep it together a bit longer.” He tried to take a step closer to Eren, but again, Eren quickly stepped back. 

“B-but what if I hurt someone?” Eren asked him quickly. He shook his head, a wild look overcoming his eyes as he looked around the room. He stormed over to Levi's desk and reached into a drawer. Levi's eyes widened and he immediately began taking steps closer once he saw Eren's hand close around the small gun there. “Here,” Eren spoke, throwing the gun towards him. 

“Eren, what - “ 

“Just kill me now.” Eren pleaded. “Before I hurt anyone else.” 

“You won't hurt anybody!” Levi growled, dropping the gun to the ground. “This is about Rogue blood. You're safe while you're here, away from the Rogues.” 

“But I - “ He started, but was immediately cut off by Levi. 

“You'll stay here, and when we come back, we'll sort all this out.” Levi promised, carefully taking steps closer to Eren. Eren's body seemed frail and so weak, hunched and looking away. Standing before him, Levi ran his thumb over his mate's cheek, watching as Eren leaned into his touch. “I won't let anybody hurt you, I promise.” 

“I love you,” Eren told him quietly, closing his eyes and letting a stray tear cascade down his cheek. 

“I love you too, Eren,” He leaned up and left a quick kiss on Eren's forehead. 

~~*~~*~~

This wasn't going to be easy, he knew. Levi would either sense his presence or feel the anxiety running through Eren into him. 

Hands twitching over the reins, he steered the horse to the back, pulling the hood of the Survey Corps cloak up over his head, letting his face remain hidden from curious onlookers. 

The expedition stood ready to leave in exactly two minutes, once the clocks struck midnight. Vampires sat horseback, while most lycans remained inside the carriages. Eren cast his eyes over the multiple carriages; Mikasa, Armin and even Jean sat in one of those. 

They were allowed to go. Allowed; it was such a stupid word. As if he needed permission to join this expedition; lycans were clearly invited. Was he not a lycan? 

From the back of his mind, a voice answered for him. He was nothing now; he wasn't a lycan, but he wasn't a Rogue – he was some sort of a strange mix in between the two, and he needed this expedition more than the others did. 

It wasn't about finding his father's notes, anymore. Instinctively, none of them would help him at this point. He just needed more. The others could fool themselves with what they would find, but he was here for one reason and that one reason only. 

His hands tightened over the reins for a moment as he thought back to his conversation with Levi. It scared him; it scared him how easily the lies had spewed out of his mouth without him having any control over it. Even now, he felt empty and weak, unable to fight against his clearly immoral actions. 

The bell rang out and he pushed his horse forward, keeping to the back of the formation. Around them, humans cheered, yelling and screaming and children laughed, pointing at their role models and boasting about them protecting humanity. Eren didn't deserve to be amongst these people. 

He had dreamed of going outside the walls ever since he was little, but now that dream was overshadowed by whatever the hell was happening inside of him. 

The gates began opening, and faintly, he heard Erwin Smith's voice yell something out. He focused on the Commander, and to his right, Eren's eyes fell upon Levi, riding towards freedom and death side by side with Erwin Smith.

He felt jealousy for just a split second, before even that became overshadowed by the pure desire and craving that had not stopped since he ripped at Annie. 

And then he was riding under the tunnel, and then, a clear, starry sky stared back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I actually decided to split the last chapter into two chapters because I didn't realise how long all of this was going to be. There is one more real chapter left – the expedition – and then we have the epilogue which I am so excited about omfg  
> I'm so sad this is ending though, like, what am I going to do with my life after this?  
> Well, I did start a [new story](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3232889/chapters/7040348) and since I've been really interested in the concept of the Four Horsemen recently, that's what it's about. It will have angels and demons in it and all that crap because, of course, I seem to be incapable of writing a normal story. But I hope you guys can check it out and tell me if it looks like anything you'd like to read :)  
> Also, sorry for any spelling mistakes since my writing program's autocorrect isn't working -.-  
> Thanks for reading and the amazing support so far!  
> [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	31. Chapter Thirty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Eren!” It was a scream amidst the chaos around him, and though the name made him twitch, he didn't react more than that.

There was a flitting moment where the thought of being surrounded by lycans was unnerving. As it was, Levi was more tolerant of lycans than most vampires – most of it probably due to Eren being his mate – but there came a certain line, and trusting them to have his back was that line. 

They were all supposed to work as a team, or else nothing would work. A flare shot out into the sky and the first few squads shot up into the air, getting rid of any Rogues in the area. The darkness was their friend, and their eyes adjusted quickly, specks of red amidst the midnight black. 

Lycans remained upon their horses, the majority left sitting in the carriages until they either got to Shiganshina or sunrise came. Another flare shot out into the sky and Levi watched them return to their horses, a few already missing their riders. 

Aiming his gun, he pulled the trigger at a Rogue that was getting too close for his liking. Momentarily, he was glad Eren was safe and sound behind the walls. 

But, he was also surprised to get the reaction he did. He expected Eren to deny things more, to fight for himself – like he usually did – and to actually oppose Levi. Eren giving in so easily unnerved him, and he would have given it more thought if it wasn't for the moment Eren gave him the gun and told him to kill him.

How could he ever kill Eren? It seemed too impossible to him. Killing Eren was the exact same thing as killing himself; they were connected after all, and he was sure he would not survive living without Eren, no matter how independent he actually was. Just the thought hurt. 

But then, he also thought about what Erwin had said. Levi had no issues giving his life up for humanity; giving his life up for Eren was a harder concept – no matter how much he loved him – because after denying something your whole life, you don't just suddenly change your mind. No matter how head over heels you are. 

That part of himself, he would never deny. His whole personality was built around that concept; he would do anything to protect humanity from the threats, even if that meant giving up his own life. That was why he was here.

Shaking his head, he realised this train of thought was not acceptable right now. He needed to focus, and knowing Eren was not here, helped with the task. 

He watched a flare shoot out again and he instantly pulled away from his horse, shooting out into the darkness, losing a second for his eyes to adjust, glowing a predator red, scanning for the nearest Rogue. He saw it at the same time Petra did, and they manoeuvred around each other, slicing at the nape of the wolf at the same time; Rogues were so mindless – they were too stupid to understand how any of this worked. 

Landing on a rooftop, he ran across and jumped the gap just to land on another, facing a Rogue vampire. He dodged to the side and then swept his foot across the floor, taking it down before stabbing it right through the chest. It was easy to reach a vampire's heart; it was harder to do with lycans, which is why they mostly attacked napes. 

He managed to get three more Rogues down before a flare was shot out again. He paused on the rooftop, scanning the expedition for his horse. Something tightened in his chest for a moment, such a familiar feeling, and his eyes involuntarily moved to the back of the formation, narrowing slightly at what he felt. 

Shaking his head slightly, he returned to his horse and waited for another signal to attack. 

~~*~~*~~

The plan continued flawlessly. 

A blue flare was shot out, and Levi had a momentary panic as he tried to remember what the colour meant. Then, the buildings cleared in the horizon and he knew; they had reached Shiganshina. 

The formation moved fluently between the buildings, keeping to the wider streets, the frequency of Survey Corps squads attacking heightened. There were always more Rogues within cities than in anywhere in between; cities meant bodies, and bodies meant food. 

He returned to his horse again, wiping at the blood smeared on his face, breathless. He was down to his last pair of good blades, so he turned, whistling lightly to catch a soldier's attention. He then shot out into the air and landed on a cart packed with lycans, most of them afraid or panicking, hyperventilating or screaming. 

This was their first time, and they could do nothing to help; they were instructed to remain in the carts for a smoother transition of the formation, but they still had front row seats to all the blood and gore around them. He reached for the supplies, saying nothing as the others watched him carefully. Refilling his blades, he straightened and only then did his eyes catch Mikasa's. Beside her, sat Armin and beside him, Jean. 

“You keeping together okay?” He asked out loud, balancing as the cart drove over uneven terrain. 

“As well as we can.” Mikasa replied simply, but her eyes bore sympathy for Armin, who was visibly shaking, and for Jean, whose eyes expressed a type of fear and vengeance at the same time. 

“Good.” Levi nodded and then turned to return to his horse. If it wasn't for the smell that stopped him. 

Another blue flare shot out into the sky; they were close. Any moment now, he would need to rush into the house with an assigned squad and they would search all of it while the rest of the expedition fought off the Rogues. 

But the smell, it was too familiar and definitely too strong. He leaned slightly closer to Mikasa, scrunching his nose as he realised she was not the source; the smell belonged to Eren, he knew, but either somebody was in close contact with Eren right before they left, or Eren was nearby. 

“I thought that was you,” Mikasa spoke quickly, her eyes widening as she realised the exact same thing he did. 

Turning, Levi scanned the crowd of soldiers. This was impossible; Eren was not here. Perhaps he was exaggerating and he was missing Eren and everything came together to make him delirious. Eren was safe and sound behind the walls. 

The sound of a flare being shot out came at the same time the cart came to a sudden stop, and if it wasn't for Mikasa steadying him, he would have lost his balance. Without hesitation, the lycans jumped out of the cart and were shifting. Mikasa gave him a quick glare before she did the same; he watched for just a second as she attacked a nearby Rogue. 

And then he realised he had a job to do himself. He immediately shot out into the air and joined his squad by the right house. Kicking down the door, Mike rushed in first, blades at the ready, Hanji right at his back. Levi followed, and the moment a vampire Rogue came crashing through the ceiling, he was standing beside Mike, ready to protect Hanji if it came to it. 

But Mike didn't need help. People always ignored his skill, but Mike had ranked right behind Levi and Levi had always considered him to be stronger; for one, Mike had a much stronger build. He was heavier, he was much more muscled, and he looked more intimidating than Levi could – though Hanji chose to always remind him that Levi's gaze could, in fact, kill. He was also taller, which would forever be a point for envy. 

Mike disposed of the vampire and then they separated into pairs, taking a room each. Petra followed him upstairs, and though they encountered a vampire, they disposed of it easily. They began throwing drawers open, smashing everything and watching everything fall to the floor. 

Involuntarily, Levi wondered how everybody outside was doing. The more time they took in looking for whatever the hell it was they were looking for, the more people would die. 

Finding nothing of use in the room, they moved on to the next. 

_Levi, I can't do it. Levi, please._

He lost his balance for a moment, blinking as his head spun. Petra turned to him immediately, his name at her lips with worry in her tone. Eren's voice echoed in his head, and he took a second to understand what the hell was happening. 

_Levi_

“Levi, are you okay?” Petra seemed worried, though that was perhaps too mild of a word if she chose to abandon formalities. 

He blinked quickly and nodded once, “I'm fine.” But he wasn't. That was a direct cry for help from Eren, and though Levi knew lycan mates could communicate without words, he was never sure whether it would be possible between him and Eren. “Let's keep looking.” He grit out; they had no time. 

A howl echoed in the air, this pitiful noise which had Levi freezing in his spot. His knees shook for a moment, and if it wasn't for Petra's hand firmly grasping his arm, he was sure he would have collapsed. “Levi!” 

This howl wasn't just some random wolf. That was Eren. 

Eren was here. 

_Levi, please, I can't._

No. The pleading now made sense. “I have to go,” He quickly told Petra, drawing his blades. “He's here.” He managed to breath out quickly before he smashed the window and let himself jump out of the second floor. He landed on the ground stiffly, blades at the ready, and looked upon the blood shed before him.

Vampires and lycans fought side by side against the Rogues, but blood was still spilling down the street, and more often than not it was one of their own. He attacked a nearby vampire, stabbing it through the heart quickly before he turned and scanned the crowd anxiously again. He needed to find Eren. 

And he saw him. He saw the brown-furred wolf attack a Rogue. He watched Eren fight, his own jaws gnawing at the vampire Rogue before him. His feet had already began moving when a hand grabbed his arm. 

He turned, blade raised and faced Hanji. “We got it!” She quickly told him, eyes widening as she waved a book at him. “We have to go!” 

But they hadn't realised how hard this part of the plan would be. How were they supposed to get back into a formation now that everybody and everything was in chaos? 

Without a word, he pulled away from Hanji; he needed to be beside Eren. But when he turned back again, Eren was nowhere to be seen, and Levi's chest had tightened at the words echoing in his head. 

_Levi, please. It's too late._

~~*~~*~~

Craving is a good thing. In certain matters, craving creates wonders. It allows you to set your mind on things you never would if you were sane. But it happens, and there's no way to stop it. Standing there now, amidst the bloodshed, he craved two things.

The stronger craving was the one in his stomach; the craving he was ashamed of, but had no power to stop. The craving that had taken over him. The smell of said craving was heavy in the air and his wolf eyes scanned over possible prey quickly, skilfully finding the weakest link which would put up the least amount of fight.

He snarled then, salivating already as he pounced forward, shoving aside any soldiers in his way, ripping apart anything that opposed him, friend or foe. His claws dug into the rotten skin of the vampire; red, crazed eyes stared back at him, and silently, he knew his own were little different.

The fight was over quickly. His jaws snapped over the Rogue's chest and cracked bones along the way, blood pouring from the critical wound. The vampire cried in agony but the brown-furred wolf above him did nothing but lap at the blood with his tongue. His eyes almost rolled back in his head as his main craving was satisfied for the short moment.

But there was another craving under his skin, the same craving that made his chest tighten, and his heart beat faster. He craved a presence beside him, solid. He craved fingertips light at the nape of his neck and a voice meeting his in the dark. He craved his lover's mouth, his voice, his hair, his eyes. But he could do nothing about this craving.

A certain wave of disappointment washed over him, and he knew it was from the part of him that still possessed some morality, but the stronger part couldn't care less. 

He pounced again, jaws ripping into a nearby Rogue wolf, fur splitting under the sharpness of his canines, blood pouring from the open wound. 

“Eren!” It was a scream amidst the chaos around him, and though the name made him twitch, he didn't react more than that. 

“Eren!” Another voice had joined in too, though this one didn't make him shiver as much. Snarling, he shoved through two soldiers in green capes, his claws shoving and ripping, watching them scream and fall as he continued, instead throwing himself at a Rogue. 

With his muzzle painted with blood, he turned and snarled at a nearby soldier fighting with a Rogue. This was his kill. 

He growled, blood-stained teeth baring threateningly as he attacked the soldier. For a moment, the vampire panicked, just about dodging his attack but when he attacked ceaselessly once again with speed much too fast for the vampire, the fight was over and blood trickled down the street. 

“Eren!” His own bloodshot eyes met the eyes of the vampire stood before him, the woman covered in blood from head to toe, crooked glasses shielding her own red orbs. Deep inside, something familiar stirred, but he simply snarled at the interruption. “Eren! That's enough!” 

It's never enough. 

“Look around you! There are people dead! Innocent people!” 

He snarled, but a quick look to the side made him realise that some of the green-caped soldiers were getting onto horses or into carriages. Slowly but surely, they were leaving. 

“We have to go! Don't do this, Eren.” 

It's too late. 

Muzzle vibrating with another growl, he stepped forward and snapped his jaws right before her, watching as she rolled back and drew her blade in a quick move. 

“Hanji!” A vampire appeared before him, dressed in a green cloak with vaguely familiar emblem of wings etched into it. He struggled to remember what the symbol meant, but the smell became familiar. And the vampire was a threat. “I'll deal with this. Keep Levi away; he can't see Eren like this.” He drew his blades. “There's no telling what he will do.”

Narrowing his eyes, still growling, he watched the tall blond male step in front of the female, his stance screaming protectiveness. 

“Mike, don't.” 

“Get Levi. Everybody is leaving. Erwin is injured.” The vampire turned towards his female for a moment, “Go!” 

With a shaky nod, the female turned and disappeared in the crowd again, pushing and shoving, stabbing at nearby Rogues. 

And for one, he was sick of all this. He needed more, and the need deep inside of him crushed his chest, his breaths coming heavier, teeth baring, muzzle gaping open as he took a step forward. 

“I don't want to hurt you, Eren.” 

He paused for a second. The voice, the name, the outfit – it was all so familiar, but it was like an echo at the back of his mind; an echo he did not bother trying to decipher.

He attacked with a snarl, dodging the vampire's silver blade and circling his opponent. The crave for that magical substance returned but he knew he wouldn't be able to quench his thirst with the blood of his opponent. They weren't the same. He needed the blood of the ones with red eyes and rotten skin and black drool and crazed screams.

His jaws snapped at the vampire but he was dodged; the vampire had used some crazy contraption which had allowed him to pounce high into the air with the use of some wires. Watching the movement carefully, he studied the technique and understood what was happening.

Smoke was high in the air, fires had broken out and the smell of burning, dead flesh tickled at his nostrils. He snapped at the vampire again and had not predicted the retaliation; the silver blade sunk into his shoulder blade and a snarl made its way out of his jaws, furious and vengeful.

“Stop it! You'll hurt him!” The voice was familiar. 

Momentarily, he let himself get distracted and his eyes cast to the female vampire from before. Together with another female, they were holding back a dark-haired male, all grey eyes and sharp jaw lines and – and a green cape.

“We have to get going!” 

“I'm not leaving without Eren!” 

He started at the vampire again, but was dodged with a quick movement into the air. He growled, realising the vampire was outsmarting him. 

Claws outstretched, he swept his paw at the vampire but when the vampire rolled back, he pounced forward, tackling him to the ground. They were there for a single moment – a moment so short he didn't have time to rip the vampire's throat apart – and then there was a sharp kick to his ribs and he was shoved off. 

He whimpered, feeling the broken bone, feeling the rage spike up his body. 

“Mike! Don't! If you fucking lay a finger on him I will - “ 

The blond vampire paid no attention, but a furrow appeared between his eyebrows. “I'm sorry, Levi.” Levi. The name sounded so familiar.

He attacked the vampire again, faking a right attack before changing the direction and snapping his jaws to the left. The vampire shot up into the air again, but he was right behind him this time. His clawed paw pulled at the wire and the vampire came crashing to the ground, momentarily caught off guard.

He didn't hesitate this time.

His jaws closed over the vampire's head and bit down with not a momentary hesitance. Blood filled his muzzle and dripped down the sides, colouring his fur with the violent red. The vampire went limp, a screeching scream followed in the distance.

“Mike!” 

His head turned toward the sound, his eyes scanning the battling creatures all around him, searching for the very thing that would sate his craving again. But instead, his eyes found stormy grey eyes of a vampire staring back at him; the vampire that adorned the green cloak he had seen before, but there was something in those grey orbs which told him he was different.

The female beside him had broken down, her wails echoing in between the bloody soldiers and crazed Rogues. He looked down at the body of the vampire underneath him for a moment, but then kicked it to the side and proceeded forward, jaws snapping at a nearby Rogue. He almost howled with joy as blood filled his mouth. 

“Get her out of here! They're leaving!”

“I'm not leaving without you!” 

“And I'm not leaving without him! I'll deal with this, and I'll be right behind you!” 

Looking up from the body of the dead Rogue, he knew he wanted more. Yet, once again he was stopped in his tracks by a wolf. 

She wasn't a Rogue; she was a lycan and her black fur stood on its end as she faced off with him, growling low. He growled back, threateningly, straightening so that he towered over her with size. But she didn't seem any less scared. 

“Mikasa, go. He might get you infected. Just leave.” Beside the wolf, the vampire landed, a solemn expression on his face; one that was definitely tired. “I'll get him back.” 

Sheathing his blade back into place, the vampire with the grey eyes stepped forward slightly and the wolf backed away slowly. She seemed to send the vampire a sympathetic look before her eyes fell upon him and she whimpered lightly. She then backed away completely, and he watched her join the other soldiers by the carriages he had seen before. 

“Eren...” Eren? 

He growled, teeth baring as he spotted the Rogues around them. He wanted to attack, to get what he craved, but the grey-eyed vampire stood in his way. 

“Come on, Eren. This isn't you. Let's go home.” Home? 

He snarled, stepping forward slightly, watching as the vampire stood his ground. 

“It's over, Eren. We can help you. Let's go back home.” Help him? 

He didn't need help. 

With a snarl, he started forward, watched the vampire roll sideways to avoid his attack – watched the vampire's eyes widen with shock for a moment before his lips straightened into a firm line again. 

“Eren, please. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. Let's leave.” 

Everybody else seemed to be leaving. There were less and less soldiers around, and more and more Rogues. But the Rogues seemed to stay clear of him; even they understood the danger he posed to them. 

Growling again, he snapped his jaws forward and watched the vampire lose his balance, his back hitting the ground below him. He then pounced forward, but the vampire had rolled out from underneath him before he could get his claws on him. 

“Eren, please. Let's go home. Everybody is waiting; Yuuki is waiting for you. You promised to play catch with him.” There was a small crack in the vampire's voice for a moment, and he stopped, narrowing his eyes. Yuuki? 

The name made him even angrier. He snarled and attacked once more, and though the vampire tried to dodge again, he felt slightly proud when one of his claws caught the vampire's leg and left a pretty stain of red on the previously white trousers. 

“Eren, please, I love you, don't do this. Try.” The vampire's voice cracked again, and his eyes momentarily left him to travel to the ground – to the body of the vampire he had killed before – and he watched the grey-eyed vampire bite down on his lip, swallowing hard before turning back. 

Love?

He wavered slightly. What was love? He loved something already. 

_You love him_ , a voice echoed somewhere in the back of his mind. _You love Levi._

No, he loved the blood filling his mouth, he loved it when it dribbled down his muzzle and steadily dripped to the ground. Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

“Levi!” 

“Go!” 

“Levi! No!” 

Growling, he watched the Rogues surround them slowly, but they still stayed away. Their eyes hungrily scanned the grey-eyed vampire, but none of them dared to come close for now. He knew, however, that craving would win over soon. 

“Eren, I won't leave you.” 

_“I'm honoured to be your mate, whether you think so or not.”_

_“I have no idea how to deal with relationships, or with people who I care about in general. I always fuck it up.”_

Shaking his head, he got rid of the echoes in his mind and snarled again, attacking. This time, the vampire had nothing to protect himself, and the movement was too fast to be dodged. His teeth closed over the vampire's forearm, and though he flinched, he made no sound or effort to fight back. It infuriated him, at some level.

“Eren, snap out of it!” Getting his arm back – injured, bleeding and torn – Levi gritted his teeth and took a step back. “This isn't who you are!” 

But it is.

Levi circled again, and he followed, watching his steps precisely. Around them, the Rogues went insane at the smell of blood in the air but none dared to get closer just yet. 

_“Look at this, I'm already carrying you over thresholds.”_

_“And if you think I would ever lay a hand on Eren, then you're delusional.”_

“Eren, please, let's go home.” Levi pleaded again, because it was Levi, and Levi had never intentionally hurt him. Levi would never hurt him, and that's what angered him. At least, the part of him that wasn't in control. 

Snarling, he shook his head slightly and stepped forward, approaching the vampire. He was sick of the games. Pouncing forward, he tackled Levi mercilessly, his clawed paw pressing against Levi's throat, sharp claws ready to tear through the skin there.

“Eren...” 

And he knew. He knew what he was doing, but he couldn't stop any of this. He watched through his own eyes as his body didn't listen, as his own body prepared to kill his mate. 

_“Do you, Eren, offer yourself to Levi as a blood-bound mate; a friend, a lover and a lifelong companion, as long as you both shall live?”_

Yes. He was Levi's, and all of this was wrong. They were friends, they were lovers, they were lifelong companions; as long as they both would live. 

Yells echoed in the distance; they wanted Levi to come back, but he wasn't going anywhere.

His paw pressed down slightly, teeth baring in a snarl yet again. One of the claws caught on Levi's skin, and he watched as the trail of blood began trailing down the side of Levi's neck. 

_I want it to be over._

Levi swallowed, breath hitching and for a moment, he wondered if Levi heard his thoughts. Levi's eyes closed for a moment and he swallowed hard again. Eren watched the slow, silent tear cascade down the side of Levi's face before those grey orbs opened and looked up at him. 

“I'd do anything for you, Eren.” He whispered, quiet and broken. “But I can't let this go on.” He added just as quietly as Eren's paw pressed in harder, another claw digging into skin and making Levi flinch. “I guess I'm just too selfish. I'm sorry.” 

There was a harsh sound of metal on metal as Levi's hand moved with impeccable speed and then, there was pain. 

He felt the blade pierce through his skin, he felt the silver burning his flesh, he felt the metal grind against his rib bones and the burning intensified. 

Underneath him, Levi's own body tensed up, eyes following the trail of blood that began cascading down his blade, soaking his hand with Eren's blood. 

He knew why Levi did it, and he was grateful for it. He only hoped Levi survived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An explanation perhaps?  
> Well, this thing with Eren is pretty much like a split personality. He's not in control, and though internally, he knows everything he is doing is wrong and he is processing it all (at least in the end once he's gained some control) he can't stop it. If that makes sense.  
> And I've continued to add those little bits about Levi not wanting to kill Eren and Levi not giving his life up for Eren because this is not what it was: you might think Levi stabbing him was out of love, and I think it was to a large extent. But him talking about being 'selfish', he means that he is doing this because he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he left Eren there. And there is also understanding there; he never wanted to give his life up for a mate, because that should be two-sided, and Eren had clearly shown that he would rather die than hurt Levi, so it's clearly two-sided. In addition, it should be pointed out that Eren did kill quite a few soldiers, so Levi putting him down was as much for humanity's sake as it was out of love. I wish I would make it more romantic and all about love, but here, devoting his life to protecting humanity is a huge part of Levi.  
> Sorry if none of this makes sense.  
> Sorry if you absolutely hate me.  
> Sorry that this is ending.  
> Did you expect a happy ending though?  
> But I mean, they did get the notes.  
> AND THERE IS AN EPILOGUE. So, hopefully I'll have that up quite soon and it will give you some closure.  
> Goodbye. I shall now hide under my bed and cry.  
> You can always go and send me some 'I hate you' messages on [Tumblr](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


	32. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sitting here on the very same bench in the very same garden, things seemed no different than years ago when he first met Eren.

~ Few years later ~

Sitting here on the very same bench in the very same garden, things seemed no different than years ago when he first met Eren. 

He remembered that day; he remembered relaxing on this very same bench with his mate, reading a book with Eren's head on his lap, both of them smoking to enhance the relaxing atmosphere. He remembered Yuuki poking his head over the fence, disturbing them and strangely changing a part of their lives. 

He realized why two mates could hardly live without the other. There is only one thing worse than death: being left behind.

The sun had began to set, and with it, so did his happiness. 

Once the light died out, he remembered all those deaths that he witnessed, all those lives being taken away: Isabel, Farlan, Auruo, Marco, Bertholdt, Reiner, Annie, Mike, Moblit, Erd, Luke, Dita, Ian – the list continued, and for each death, he felt his chest tighten, but some hurt more than most. 

_“Hanji!” His voice echoed over the house, and he furrowed his eyebrows once he didn't get a reply. No matter the mood, Hanji was always eager to greet him; perhaps some of it was due to the fact that she hated being alone, but after what happened, she wasn't particularly deemed well for military work._

_But he could smell her, and he could feel her presence in the house so he simply walked in. Acquiring Grisha Yeager's notes helped humanity; Hanji studied it day and night – trying to keep her mind off her loss – and there were days when Levi would come over and she would be too involved in her work. Those days, he would sigh, make her eat something and nag her to get to bed and sleep while he was here._

_But it all paid off. They understood that the people who were immune were conditioned to be immune, and though it seemed impossible to make use of that, Hanji somehow did. The vaccine was perhaps more painful than others, and it had to be applied every couple of years, but the government instantly approved it and by law, each person within the walls – whether human, vampire or lycan – was to take it._

_From then, it wasn't long until Hanji found a cure. Each day, Rogues were being captured and given the cure, turning back to their normal state. Most cried, others wailed remembering the evils they had done, but they were safe and they were back; it was all that mattered._

_“Hanji!” Finding the door to the lab slightly open, he sighed and realised it would be one of those days._

_He found Hanji curled up in the corner of the room, arms wrapped around herself protectively, her glasses broken and lying to the side. Face softening, he walked over and crouched down beside her, gently running his fingers through her hair so that she looked up at him._

_When she did, he saw her blotched skin and red eyes, dry tears upon her cheeks and more waiting in the rims of her eyes.”Levi, I can't do it,” She whispered softly, and it broke a bit of his heart. His happy, giggly and entirely inappropriate Hanji..._

_“Come on, let's get you something to eat,” He tried softly, picking up her glasses and looking at them, wondering if she had yet another spare pair._

_“Levi,” She started in a whisper, “Not anymore. Please.”_

_“Each day is an achievement. I know you can do it.” He told her quietly._

_She shook her head slightly, “Not anymore, Levi.” She whispered brokenly, closing her eyes tightly. Levi felt his chest tighten; why didn't Hanji hate him for this? She lost Mike, and all he had from that day were some disgusting memories and a scar adorning his chest._

_“I never blamed Eren,” Hanji whispered, seeing that haunted look enter his eyes. “I don't blame anyone...” She trailed off slowly, looking away again. “I just want the pain to stop.” She whimpered._

_“Hanji - “ He started brokenly. “Tell me how to help you... please...”_

_She turned to look at him then, and her eyes seemed to glimmer with hope._

_“You can't ask me for that,” He told her instantly, almost swaying back from his position, head shaking firmly. “Anything but that, Hanji!”_

_She watched him with these sad, broken and tired eyes before smiling lightly, empathetically and saying, “That's all I want.”_

_“Hanji, I can't - “_

_“I'm not strong enough, Levi!” She cut him off, her voice rising slightly before she closed her mouth firmly and looked away from him, swallowing hard. When she turned again, her eyes fell upon a small dagger lying a few meters from her._

_Levi followed her gaze, mouth opening to say something, but nothing came out. He had thrown knives and daggers at Hanji multiple times in the past, but that was because he knew none of them would ever hurt her, unlike the one staring back at him right now._

_“Hanji, please...”_

_She shook her head sadly. “I want it to be quick.” She whispered. “And I've always trusted you with my life.”_

_And he saw the desperation in her eyes, the pure pleading and felt his heart ache at that lost look, because this wasn't Hanji anymore. This wasn't the first time she made such a request of him._

_He nodded once, not looking at her but he heard her intake of breath once she realised he had agreed. He swallowed over all the words he wanted to say and leaned forward, cupping her cheek in his palm before pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead, “Love you.” He whispered._

_“Love you too, dumbass.”_

_His hand closer around the dagger._

Some days were harder than others; most nights he still didn't sleep, with the nightmares and memories pulling at his mind. Some nights he still stirred and some he woke up screaming, but he liked to think everything was better and though recovery was slow, it was worth it. 

He had tried to sacrifice his life for humanity – and indirectly, for Eren – but it seemed that fate had something different in mind for him. 

These days, he chose people as his anchors; they held him in place and kept him sane. 

“You're turning into a real old man, you know?” He turned, realising the sun had set now. Upon turning, he found Yuuki leaning on the doorway, a mischievous grin pulled up on his lips; Levi had become very accustomed with this grin. 

“Shut up.” He simply muttered in reply, getting up off the bench and heading towards the sixteen-year-old with messy black hair that still tended to get too long. Light blue eyes stared back at Levi and he nudged the teenager on his way, messing up his hair and hearing him whine behind, as if it wasn't messy in the first place. “I thought you said you were gonna be back later?” 

He shrugged simply. “We're starting a training exercise in the morning and I'll definitely be gone for the next few days, so I wanted to come early today.” He was dressed neatly in a trainee uniform, and though Levi nagged, he never did manage to get Yuuki to wear a cravat.

“Don't pretend you're not here for the food.” Levi sneered, walking down the hallway but pausing to turn back and look at Yuuki's shoulder shaking with laughter. 

“You got me,” Yuuki shrugged casually and followed him, throwing one arm over his shoulder and grinning. He was already taller than Levi, and it annoyed him to no end. “It's Sunday.” He added lightly, softly, like it meant something – and it did. Every Sunday, they all gathered for a meal together.

The ones who survived did, anyway.

“Levi?” Yuuki's voice was soft, and once Levi focused again, he found himself staring at the kid's face. 

He gave him a small smile and shoved at his shoulder. “Get cleaned up.” 

“Sir, yes sir.” Yuuki saluted him quickly, winked mischieviously and hurried down the hallway to wash up.

Hanji had once told him that the name Yuuki meant 'hope.' Perhaps they all could use some hope. 

He stopped by the large dining table, sighing softly at the beautiful plates and cutlery. He picked up a glass and watched his reflection in it for a moment. The set had been a present from Erwin, though Erwin never seemed to attend these gatherings.

Erwin Smith was much too busy – he was still in charge of the Survey Corps and still on top. Though missing an arm after the events of the Shiganshina battle (which is what they took to calling it), Erwin was still important in the grand scheme of things. 

After the Shiganshina battle, it became apparent that lycans and vampires could work together when in a dire situation. So, slowly but surely, lycans began joining expeditions and as of recently, they were also allowed to join the Survey Corps. Now that more Rogues were being cured, the main aim of the Survey Corps had become to travel and explore the world outside the walls.

But there were so many people who would never experience that, and he found himself repeating those names over and over again: Isabel, Farlan, Auruo, Marco, Bertholdt, Reiner, Annie, Mike, Mob - 

“Levi?” His grip on the glass loosened and if it wasn't caught, it would have shattered against the floor. “Levi,” Snapping out of it, his own grey eyes met teal-green. 

Recovery was a slow process, but it was always worth it. 

_Whimper after whimper, cry after cry, scream after scream – he sat on the other side of the door, eyes closed, and listened to it all._

_Levi had never missed in his entire life, and the one time he did, he would forever blame on fate. His attack had never pierced Eren's heart, like it was meant to, but instead slid right beside it, critically injuring. The reminder of the action would forever be engraved on Eren's chest; an injury by the hand of your mate never fully healed._

_Eren had woken up in a frenzy a few hours later – injured and bleeding – locked in an empty room until they could decide their next step of action._

_Hanji had been right: what Eren had was an addiction, and rigorous detox was what he needed._

_Levi would forever remember Eren locked in that room, on the verge of bleeding out. Hearing him scream and lash out, hearing him whimper and cry out his name, hearing him curse and laugh and swear until... silence._

_When they got him out he was barely alive, and though Levi saw Hanji clench her jaw each time she was around Eren, she never once hesitated to help. From there – though Levi still considered it a miracle – she managed to get Eren's red blood cell count to normal, which got rid of both the immunity and strangely, the craving._

“It's okay. We're okay, Levi,” Eren's voice was soothing, his hand gently caressing his cheek, foreheads pressed together. Levi leaned into his touch, like he always did.

Eren was his anchor. 

Eren wasn't perfectly fine, either. Some days he would stare off into the distance with a pondering look, and Levi knew he would be thinking about all those people he had killed. Levi would then wrap his arms around him and just hold him: be his anchor as much as Eren was his. 

This was the sad reality; you could never get over the things they had experienced, but the important thing was that you tried. 

Narrowing his eyes lightly, Levi leaned back and wiped at the patch of flour on Eren's face. He raised an eyebrow and watched Eren grin, the very same teasing grin that he had remembered seeing for the first time when Eren was just fresh out of training. 

“Historia gave me this recipe for a cake,” He explained silently, his fingers mindlessly playing with Levi's own. “It turns out Ymir has a real sweet tooth.” 

Yuuki's head popped into the room, “I heard the word cake being mentioned?” He asked casually, though his eyes roamed all over the kitchen hungrily. At the same time, a knock sounded on the door. 

Turning, Levi dismissed him with a wave of a hand, “Go be useful and open the door,” He spoke. 

Yuuki popped out of the room and once he did, Eren's hand slapped at his shoulder. “You're rude.” He commented, lips pouting childlishly. 

“And you're a child,” Levi simply commented. 

“You're just old,” Eren pointed out with a shrug, arms sneakily wrapping around Levi. 

“I am not old!” Levi countered immediately, eyes narrowing. 

“Yeah you are!” Came a yell down the hallway from Yuuki. 

Narrowing his eyes again, Levi crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, “Can you control your child?” He murmured. 

Eren laughed and turned away, looking around the kitchen and getting the food ready to be put out on the table, “I am much too young to have a child.” He commented. At 23, that probably wasn't that much of a lie. “If anything, he's your kid; he's got your hair.” 

“His hair is black, Eren. That's where the similarities end. I actually brush my hair.” Levi pointed out, turning his head as he heard Yuuki speaking with someone. “With the current state of your hair, you might as well be twins.” 

Eren pouted and rolled his eyes. His hair was definitely getting too long. 

“Oh no,” They both turned as Mikasa came through the door, carrying some sort of wine as she usually did. “Why is he pouting now?” 

“Levi is mean.” 

“I am simply honest.” 

Mikasa dismissed them with a short wave of her hand. “I would like to point out that I brought two bottles,” She motioned to the bottle in her hand. 

Rolling his eyes, Levi huffed, “Yuuki!” 

“I'm busy being the tour guide!” Yuuki yelled back, the door opening again. Levi then heard him yelp and murmur something sourly as Armin came into the kitchen with a smile on his face. Jean followed not far behind, grinning and holding the other bottle of wine. 

“He's not a very good one,” He commented simply. “Here,” He passed Eren the bottle. “Don't say I never bring anything.” 

The situation between Jean and Armin was complicated; Eren would spend hours nagging them to admit they were in a relationship, but they would deny it. Of course, friends lived together and slept in the same bed. Not.

“You never do bring anything!” Eren argued, hugging Armin as a grin pulled up onto his face. 

“Incorrect.” Jean shrugged arrogantly. “I bring my outstanding looks and joyful personality.” 

“Anyway,” Levi began to interrupt the conversation that would definitely turn into an argument. Hearing the door open again, his ears perked up as Yuuki came into the room, laughing, escorting Petra. Grinning, Levi stepped forward to hug her, and sighed once he felt her arms wrap around him tightly. “Keep in check, kid.” Levi warned Yuuki, eyes narrowing. Petra still kept her young looks.

“He's just being polite, Levi,” Petra giggled, shoving at his shoulder. “Eren!” Shoving Levi aside, leaving him there with wide eyes and a snickering Yuuki, Petra headed over to hug Eren. “The hair? Keep it.” She told Eren after their initial hug. 

“You've seen me a week ago, Petra.” 

She sighed and turned to look at Levi,”They grow up so fast.” 

Sitting by the table in her usual seat, Mikasa snickered and Petra's attention instantly swapped to her. “Speaking of,” She started. “I heard you got yourself a boy toy?” 

Mikasa's eyes widened for a moment, “I wouldn't call it that...” 

“Wait,” Eren started, eyebrows raising. “What?” 

Rolling his eyes, Armin shoved at his shoulder and pointed towards the food. “Just get the food, Eren,” He sighed, smiling softly and though Eren argued for a second, he agreed and people slowly began taking seats. 

Gunther was next to arrive, followed by Connie and Sasha and then Ymir and Historia. And everything seemed just like it was every week. 

Levi had slowly but surely given up the title of Humanity's Strongest, and though they joked around a lot, he did feel like Mikasa deserved it. The lycans had trained with 3DMG, and Mikasa's skill slowly but surely had began rivaling his own. These days, they enjoyed the peace; or as much peace as they could get with all these people around. 

But soon, that would be over, and they were all ready to set out on an expedition a month from now, discovering the world outside the walls. If anything, it was even more to look forward to. 

And later, when everybody would be gone, he would wrap his arms around Eren and kiss him softly before slowly unbuttoning his shirt, placing a kiss over the scar marking his chest and falling into bed, smiling softly.

And then after they got their breath back, they would stare at the other, smiling softly, leaving meaningful little pecks all over the others' face, exchanging little words of love between the two of them; because it has always been the two of them, and it would always be the two of them. They would wrap around each other, and with loving words whispered into the darkness, they would sleep until - 

“Hey, Levi?” 

“What is it now?” 

“Why did the skeleton go to the party alone?” 

“Cause he had 'no body' to go with him. Your puns are old and you need to think of some new ones. Now go to sleep, Eren.” 

Their life was far from perfect, but for now, he could pretend it was. All he needed was Eren by his side.

~*~*~

Ever since he was a kid, the same sentence had been drilled into his head over and over again, like a broken record: one day, you will find your mate and you will be willing to sacrifice your own life for theirs. What many failed to mention was this: that very same person, your mate, will be willing to sacrifice their own life for the sake of yours. 

The Etch wasn't supposed to be something which forcibly drove people into relationships with no way out. The Etch was a way for people to trust others, to learn what sacrifice was, to live and to love and to laugh. 

And Levi was content with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I would like to apologize for not tagging this story as Major Character Death, because as you noticed, there was NO Major Character Death. I apologize to anybody that could have/was triggered by it and I feel horrible about causing that but (though it might sound bitchy), the story is tagged as 'blood' and 'death' for at least the last few chapters, so it's a bit of common sense.  
> But, I would like to thank you all for the continuous support, for reading and commenting and just being there, some of you even from the start. I think it's natural for a writer to want readers, and to have ones as amazing as all of you was an amazing experience.I'm really grateful for you guys giving this story a chance. I want to give a special thanks to the people who have always encouraged me to keep writing, always motivated me on Tumblr, who never gave up on me or had to hear my horrible theories while I was writing.  
> Having said that, I hope you enjoyed it.  
> In the end, I am a sucker for happy endings, though they may be unbelievable. Of course, many have died, but the main thing is that life goes on, and it will for the ones that survived. If you think this ruined the story, you're free to pretend like it isn't here.  
> Once again, thank you.  
> I will continue writing, if you guys want to stick around. The next story I continue will either be [Unfair](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3232889/chapters/7040348) or [The Reason For Living. ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2154954/chapters/4709946)  
> Thanks for reading x  
> You can find me on Tumblr [here](http://surveycorpscastiel.tumblr.com/)


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